Liberal policy of split liver for pediatric liver transplantation. A single centre experience

Transpl Int. 2000:13 Suppl 1:S131-3. doi: 10.1007/s001470050299.

Abstract

We adopted a liberal policy of extensive use of split liver in a pediatric liver transplantation (LT) program. Over a 19-month period, we have performed 64 LT in 54 patients with pediatric indications. One patient received two liver grafts as a part of a liver-small bowel transplantation and was not considered. Of the 60 LT considered, performed in 53 patients, 34 were with split grafts. The 1-year actuarial survival for the patients transplanted with a split graft was 81% and 89% when only elective cases were considered. The median time on the waiting list was 22 days with no mortality. The extensive use of split liver allowed transplantation in a large number of pediatric patients, with good results without the need for living donor liver transplantation. We envisage a trend towards systematic splitting of liver grafts.

MeSH terms

  • Actuarial Analysis
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Hepatectomy / methods*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Intestine, Small / transplantation
  • Liver Transplantation / methods*
  • Liver Transplantation / mortality
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate
  • Time Factors
  • Tissue Donors
  • Tissue and Organ Harvesting / methods*
  • Waiting Lists