Liver transplantation in children

Abstract

Liver transplantation in children is still rarely performed although the prognosis for children with benign and final-stage liver disease and individual cases with unresectable hepatomas is acceptable. This report is based on the cases of eight children who underwent liver transplantation, in five cases for end-stage cirrhosis and in three cases for hepatoma. There was early mortality in only one case while in all the others development and rehabilitation were remarkable. For patients with malignancies, tumour recurrence is a limiting factor. Transplantation in biliary atresia is complicated when carried out at late stages of the disease. In cases where the time of indication is sufficiently early, a long waiting period for a suitable donor organ must be expected, during which several potential candidates may succumb to the underlying disease. Increasing experience and improved immunosuppressive therapy signify that liver transplantation can be considered more often in end-stage liver diseases.