Small bowel transplantation: report of a clinical case

Extensive small bowel resection may become necessary for several reasons in children and adults. The only causal therapy of short bowel syndrome is small bowel transplantation. So far severe immunological problems have caused deleterious results despite technically successful transplantation. A clinical case of small bowel transplantation in a child is reported. The 3-year-old boy had been operated on for volvulus which had led to nearly total gangrene of the whole small bowel. Finally, only 4 cm of jejunum could be saved. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) therefore became necessary. Small bowel transplantation was carried out with the mother as donor; transplantation technique is described in detail. Postoperative immunosuppression was performed by administration of cyclosporin A and prednisolone. Because of graft rejection, the graft had to be removed on the 12th postoperative day. At present, the child is well and on TPN again. This case shows that small bowel transplantation by living related organ donation is technically possible without impairment of the donor's quality of life. Further experimental and clinical work should be encouraged.