Not just heart, liver’s important too!

The liver is the heaviest part of our body. Not only heaviest, but also it is one of the most vital parts of our body. When someone suffers from the end-stage liver disease, liver transplant comes into the picture. But what is the difference between pediatric liver transplant and liver transplant? Pediatric liver transplant is a subset of a liver transplant which is performed on the children.

Liver Transplant Surgeon
A liver transplant surgeon performs the liver transplant surgery. Dr. Thomas Starzl was the first liver transplant surgeon who performed the pediatric liver transplant in 1967. A liver transplant surgeon does a complete medical evaluation to know whether the patient is eligible for the transplant or not.

Pre Surgery Procedures
Some of the tests performed in this pre-transplant procedure are-
1.ECG and chest X-ray.
2.A urine test and other laboratory tests.
3.CT Scan of liver and blood vessels.
4.Reviewing the child’s vaccination record.

How the operation is carried out
The unique problem faced by liver transplant surgeon is the graft size. The transplant is carried out by using a small part of the liver. The most common donor of the liver is generally the parents. But, less commonly it is also carried out by using a small part of ‘cadaveric donor’. Moreover, sometimes these liver grafts are considerably high for the small patients. This may result in dysfunctioning of the newly transplanted liver. So, the graft amount is one of the most important factors for pediatric liver transplant.

Pediatric Liver Transplant
A pediatric liver transplant is an operation where the chances of error are minimum. It is performed with minimal blood loss. This operation can last for about 8 to 12 hours. The operation of the donor lasts for about 5 to 6 hours. However, many patients who undergo the pediatric liver transplant have a total circulation of blood of less than 300 to 400 ml.

Risk Related To Pediatric Liver Transplant
Some of the immediate risks involve blood clotting problems and respiratory problems. The other problems may be the body of the recipient may not accept the new liver. A donor liver may also malfunction. But, fortunately, all these risks are treatable.

Post-Liver Transplant
After the liver transplant, the child may be taken to the ICU, where he/she will be kept for at least a week. The stay in the hospital depends on how quickly he/she recovers. The average length of the stay in hospital will be about 3 weeks. After the discharge, a child may be given two major medications apart from multivitamins. Make sure the child does not miss the medication.

The other things you need to consider are-
1.Make sure to visit transplant clinic twice a week for the checkups.
2.Listen and obey to the pediatrician who will be looking after your child after the surgery.
3.Your child should avoid intensive and stressful exercises for the first six weeks.
4.The child should be given balanced diet for fast recovery.
5.Avoid contacting people with infections.

Breaking Myths About Pediatric Liver Transplant
There will be no fertility loss after liver transplantation. A child can live a normal life after 6 months of liver transplantation. The procedure does not limit the age of the individual. They can participate in sports as well and can lead a normal married life as well.

Pediatric liver transplant is a normal surgery. The pediatric liver transplant has 90% success rate. One should take precautions and not the tension.

To know more about your specific condition, please visit a Hepatobiliary Surgeon in a trusted hospital close to you.