Liver transplantation in children with fulminant hepatic failure: The UCL experience

The outcome of pediatric LT for FHF was shown to be poor in our center. To better understand such results, recipient and transplant parameters with a putative impact on post-transplant outcome were analyzed in LT for FHF. Between March 1984 and June 2002, 33 children with FHF received a primary liver allograft. The overall results in this series were studied with respect to pre-operative demographic and metabolic variables, peri-operative events, and outcome. Five-yr patient and graft survivals were 71% and 66%, respectively, with a retransplantation rate at 18%. Incidences of perioperative hemorrhage, of HAT and PVT were 14%, 8%, and 4%, respectively. Five-yr acute rejection-free survival rate was 55%. These data confirm the worse outcome following LT for FHF when compared with LT in elective, non-malignant indications such as BA; results in FHF could not be related to surgical or immunological complications in the post-transplant period and it is hypothesized that the MOF associated with FHF contributes to early post-transplant mortality which would justify special management, including aggressive renal and hepatic support.