Liver transplantation in children younger than 1 year--the Cincinnati experience

The success of pediatric orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTxp) has improved greatly since its widespread application in the 1980s. No group has benefited more from this than infants younger than 1 year. The authors reviewed their experience in the management and outcome of children who underwent OLTxp when they were younger than 1 year.

A retrospective review of the medical records of patients who at the time of OLTxp were younger than 1 year was performed. Patients were stratified according to the period when transplanted.

Eighty-one infants younger than 1 year underwent OLTxp. End-stage liver disease secondary to biliary atresia was the most common indication for transplantation. The overall survival was 77%. One-year patient and graft survival improved from 58% and 50% in the period 1986-1989, respectively, to 88% and 81% in the period 2000-2003, respectively. Technical complications such as hepatic artery thrombosis (n = 5) and portal vein thrombosis (n = 8) occurred, and although 4 patients required retransplantation, all but one survived. Complications associated with immunosuppression, sepsis/multisystem organ failure (MSOF) (n = 11), and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) (n = 1) were the most common cause of poor outcome.

Successful OLTxp in infants is possible with improved posttransplant survival during the study period. Technical complications (hepatic artery thrombosis/portal vein thrombosis) may require retransplantation but were uncommon causes of patient loss. Multisystem organ failure was the most significant adverse complication. The consequences of immunosuppression (MSOF/PTLD) were the most common cause of patient loss. Further improvement in overall survival will require better immunosuppressive strategies.