Pediatric Liver Transplant Program

A pediatric liver transplant is a surgical procedure performed on a child to replace a diseased liver with a healthy liver or a piece of a healthy liver from a living donor. It can help save a child’s life when the liver stops functioning properly. The liver may come from a deceased donor or a living donor, such as a family member or any individual who is willing to donate and is an appropriate candidate. Fortunately, pediatric liver transplants can be safe and successful, and they can cure many cases of childhood liver failure.

A pediatric liver transplant is recommended for children who have severe liver damage due to disease or injury. The most common reason a child needs a liver transplant is biliary atresia, a rare disease of the liver and bile ducts that occurs in newborns, and in which one or more of the bile ducts are abnormally narrow, blocked, or absent. Symptoms often appear when the child is 2 to 8 weeks old.

Other conditions that often require a pediatric liver transplant include:

The liver is the second largest organ in the body and is located under the rib cage on the right side. It has several important functions, such as cleaning the blood, getting rid of toxins, and producing bile for digestion. The liver also acts to provide the body with energy by processing food and liquids into nutrients the body uses, and by filtering out harmful substances from the blood. The liver is the only organ in the body that can replace lost or injured tissue (regenerate).

Any family member, spouse, or a friend can be a pediatric liver transplant donor. Generally, living donors must:

An evaluation is necessary to determine the risks and benefits of a transplant, identify potential problems, and determine whether transplantation is appropriate for the child. If a child is being evaluated for a transplant, they will see a number of healthcare professionals from the transplant center.

The evaluation will include the following tests:

If the transplant team has determined that a deceased donor liver transplant is the most appropriate treatment option, the child will be added to the national organ transplant waiting list for a liver transplant. Children with the most urgent need will be placed higher on the list. The wait can be from as little as a few days or months to more than a year, depending on the severity of illness, blood type, and weight. When a liver is matched, the patient’s guardian will be contacted to immediately visit the hospital.

A liver transplant can save a child’s life. However, even when the surgery goes well, problems can still occur. Possible complications from pediatric liver transplant surgery may include:

Rejection is a normal reaction of the body’s immune system to a foreign object or tissue. When a new liver is placed in a child’s body, the immune system may try to reject it because it perceives it as a threat and attacks it. That is why anti-rejection medication known as immunosuppressants are given to children after a pediatric liver transplant surgery. This medication helps to weaken the immune system’s response and will need to be taken for life after the operation.

While waiting for a donor match, the goal is to preserve the child’s current liver function and to ensure the best quality of life possible. The child will have to make frequent visits to the hospital for periodic check-ups, including physical exams and blood work.

Parents can help by taking an active role in their child’s care while in the hospital. After surgery, the child’s new liver will require a lot of care and monitoring. The transplant team will work with parents to help them feel comfortable with all aspects of care, including giving the child their medication, all before a child goes home. Following the specific instructions while at home, from diet to physical activity, will be crucial to the child’s recovery and long-term health.

After a child arrives home from the hospital, they will need to make frequent visits for check-ups for the first few months after surgery. The appointments then become more spread out to once a month and eventually just once or twice a year. Since the first year after pediatric liver transplant is when rejection is more likely to occur, it is crucial that the transplant team closely monitors the child to ensure the new liver is functioning normally.

Living with a liver transplant is a lifetime journey. The child will be taking immunosuppressants and other medications for the rest of their life. Regular follow-up visits and checkups to ensure the new liver is functioning properly is crucial. Despite that, most children who live with a pediatric liver transplant are able to live a normal life with few restrictions. They go to school, participate in sports and other activities, and generally lead full and happy lives.

If your child needs a liver transplant, Miami Transplant Institute’s (MTI) multidisciplinary team will provide the best possible care. Our knowledge, experience, and leading-edge procedures deliver patient outcomes that exceed national averages.
MTI has been performing liver transplants for almost 40 years, with more than 4,000 livers transplanted since 1988. We perform more than 125 liver transplants a year, one of the highest volumes in the world. Because our team can transplant new livers in patients who have been turned down by other centers because of their age or medical conditions, physicians at other transplant centers send their most complex cases to us.