A paediatric liver transplant is a procedure that includes surgically implanting a healthy liver from a donor into a child who already has one that is either damaged or failing due to illness. This procedure is known as a hepatobiliary transplant. Liver transfusions can be carried out with tissue obtained from a deceased donor or a living relative of the recipient who is a suitable match for the operation.
In most cases, tissues from deceased donors are used in infant liver transplants. Donors can be either adults or minors if they have reached the end stage of a terminal disease or injury and have been declared brain dead. Donors who are adults and have provided their permission to donate organs may have done so in the past. If both parents or spouses agree, it is possible to contribute organs from a family member.
Your child could receive either a liver replacement in part or entirety. It is possible to perform individual transplants using both halves of a donor’s liver appropriate for two children (or a kid and an adult) currently on the transplant waiting list. It is possible to transplant only one-half of a liver. Even though only a section of an adult liver is being transplanted, if the recipient is a child or an infant, the liver segment that will be transplanted will be of the appropriate size for them.
Liver transplants are necessary for children because certain diseases and conditions have harmed or impaired liver function. Liver transplantation can be used to treat rare genetic illnesses that do not directly affect the liver but have adverse effects on other organs. Large tumours in the liver cannot be surgically removed from some infants without first performing a liver transplant. A liver transplant of baby may be necessary if he/she has the following illnesses and conditions:
Biliary atresia: An illness characterised by the obstruction of the bile ducts that block bile flow from the liver to the intestines. It’s the leading cause of liver failure in kids, necessitating transplantation. The Biliary Atresia Research Consortium includes the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the world’s preeminent facility for diagnosing and treating biliary atresia (BARC).
Alagille syndrome: A genetic condition characterised by constriction or complete obstruction of the bile ducts in the liver (and sometimes other tissues). Simply put, CHOP is an Alagille clinical care centre of international acclaim.
Primary sclerosing cholangitis: When inflammation and scarring of the bile ducts produce primary sclerosing cholangitis, the bile ducts become constricted.
Hepatoblastoma: Rare cancerous tumour with the potential to spread. CHOP has a multidisciplinary staff with expertise in treating children with hepatoblastoma, making it one of the best paediatric oncology centres in the country.
Acute liver failure: Acute liver failure is the rapid decline in liver function that can occur when the liver sustains an injury to a significant portion, as can happen when a virus or medication causes liver damage.
Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency: The inability to produce enough alpha-1 antitrypsin is a genetic condition linked to hepatitis and liver dysfunction.
Tyrosinemia: Severe liver disease in newborns caused by a genetic condition.
Wilson disease: A genetic condition that can be cured by a liver transplant in which copper accumulates in the liver and the nervous system, causing severe liver and other organ diseases.
If you are facing these kinds of problems or diseases, getting in touch with the best liver transplant surgeon in Delhi will help you in finding the best possible solution according to your disease.
Even if the liver transplant surgeon in India determines that your child needs a new liver, you should continue to take your child to a regular paediatrician for checkups and vaccinations and for sick care.
This will ensure your child receives the best possible care throughout the transplant process. Before the liver transplant, your child needs to be in excellent physical condition. Even after the liver transplant, your child needs to continue to have routine checkups with a paediatrician in addition to the other members of the care team.
When the liver donation coordinator contacts you to let you know that a liver that is appropriate for transplant is currently available, they will ask about your child’s condition.
Please let the coordinator know if your child has recently been unwell with a cold, the flu, or a fever; if they have been exposed to chickenpox or any other contagious diseases; or if they have recently been in contact with someone who has any of these illnesses. Concerns will be discussed between the coordinator for the liver transplant and the physicians performing the transplant.
As soon as you are contacted, you will be informed when it is time to bring your infant to the hospital when it is time for them to stop eating and drinking, and any other information that may be relevant. In addition, the supervisor in charge of liver transplants should give you a general idea of when you should anticipate the procedure.
When you arrive at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, you should first check in at the information counter in the hospital’s main foyer. You must enter through the emergency entrance if you appear between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. After you and your child have both been processed through check-in, you will be shown to your apartment.
Depending on the child’s age, whether or not they have had previous surgery, and other variables, infant liver transplant surgery can take four to eight hours. At regular intervals (at least once every hour), you will receive an update on the operation status from a paediatric liver transplant surgeon or an operating room nurse.
The ops staff comprises paediatricians, anesthesiologists, RNs, and techs. An anesthesiologist and nurses will need access to your kid an hour before liver transplant surgery in India, so the operating room staff will call for your child then. The paediatrician will administer sleep aids through the IV to help your kid relax and fall asleep.
After the child has fallen asleep, the medical team will insert a central line into a large vein in his/her neck in addition to extra IV lines and an arterial line. This line may be left in place for your child’s hospital stay so that blood can be taken as needed. The staff will also keep an eye on your kids:
Foley catheter-assisted voiding of the bladder to collect urine.
Indices of life:
After your child has been discharged from the hospital, they will require additional medication to ensure the new liver is healthy and fully functional. In addition to that, the child’s parents should keep up with the vaccination timetable.
During your child’s recuperation, you should watch him/her carefully and ensure they receive all of the necessary follow-up care. How the child behaves and plays is the best barometer of his/her state of mind. You should also be aware of the signs of rejection in children so that you can seek assistance as soon as possible if it becomes essential.
While you may be concerned about your child’s health, it is essential to remember that your child is still a child and deserves the same opportunities as other children their age. However, your child must continue to take the anti-rejection prescription as directed.
When your child reaches the age of majority, his/her medical care at CHOP will be transferred to HUP or another medical facility.
You should be aware of the signs of rejection and closely watch your child. You should also be aware of the signs of rejection. Ensure your child can attend all of the follow-up appointments scheduled, as the initial indication of a rejection episode may manifest itself in the routine tests that he/she will be required to go through (and not necessarily with any outward signs or symptoms).
We hope we guided you well through our informative blog. So if you have any questions or concerns about paediatric liver transplantation, get in touch with Dr Vivek Vij. He is the most famous and best doctor for liver transplant in India who can guide you through various stages of a paediatric liver transplant. Book your appointment with AILBS India, one of the best liver transplant hospitals to know more.
