LIVING-DONOR LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION AT UCLA

BACKGROUND: Living-donor (LD) liver transplantation has been developed as an alternative to overcome the shortage of cadaver donor organs fo r pediatric recipients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed our experien ce with 9 LD transplants performed between August 25, 1993 and August 3, 1994. The median recipient age and weight were 13 months and 10 kil ograms. Left lateral segments from parental donors, with aortic inflow via saphenous vein grafts, were used in all cases. RESULTS: At a medi an follow-up of 160 days, all donors were alive and well. Recipient an d graft survival were both 89%. Rates of hepatic artery thrombosis, po rtal vein thrombosis, biliary complications, and acute rejection were 22%, 11%, 11%, and 67%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Excellent outcome c an be achieved with LD liver transplantation in small children with mi nimal donor risk. This procedure has the potential to emerge as the pr eferred treatment for pediatric liver transplant candidates for whom i t is an option.