Title:Liver Transplantation in Children: An Overview of Organ Allocation and Surgical Management

VOLUME: 17 ISSUE: 4

Author(s):Chiara Grimaldi, Marco Spada and Giuseppe Maggiore*

Affiliation:Hepatobiliopancreatic and Abdominal Transplant Surgery, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Hepatobiliopancreatic and Abdominal Transplant Surgery, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Hepatogastroenterology and Nutrition, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, Rome

Keywords:Liver transplantation, children, liver graft, living-donor liver transplantation, hepatic neoplasms, organ shortage.

Abstract:Liver transplantation is the standard treatment for children with end-stage liver disease, primary hepatic neoplasms, or liver-localized metabolic defects. Perioperative mortality is almost absent, and long-term survival exceeds 90%. Organ shortage is managed thanks to advances in organ retrieval techniques; living donation and partial liver transplantation almost eliminated waiting list mortality, thus leading to expanding indications for transplantation. The success of pediatric liver transplantation depends on the prompt and early referral of patients to transplant Centers and on the close and integrated multidisciplinary collaboration between pediatricians, hepatologists, surgeons, intensivists, oncologists, pathologists, coordinating nurses, psychologists, and social workers.