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Pediatric liver transplantation
Author(s) -
Dhawan Anil,
Muiesan Paolo
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-200x.1998.tb01985.x
Subject(s) - medicine , immunosuppression , liver transplantation , liver disease , cadaveric spasm , donation , transplantation , liver failure , disease , intensive care medicine , surgery , economics , economic growth
Liver transplantation in children has become a treatment of choice for end‐stage liver disease. Both graft and patient survival has significantly improved over the last two decades. The major factor contributing towards improved survival is availability of cyclosporin. Surgical innovations like living related donation has not only increased the donor pool, but has also helped patients in countries where cadaveric donation is not available. Auxiliary liver transplantation has made a significant change to the management of children with liver‐based metabolic disorders and, in selected cases of acute liver failure, immunosuppression can be safely withdrawn once the native liver recovers. However, the complications associated with immunosuppression, such as nephrotoxicity, Iymphoproliferative disease and viral infections, continue to be a matter of great concern. Most children with good graft function enjoy near normal quality of life.