PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF PEDIATRIC LIVER TRANSPLANTATION AT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER HO CHI MINH CITY
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Abstract
Objective: Pediatric liver transplantation (LT) is the definitive life-saving treatment for children with end-stage liver disease or irreversible liver failure. This study reports the initial outcomes of the pediatric liver transplantation program established at University Medical Center (UMC) Ho Chi Minh City.
Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients (< 16 years old) who underwent LT between December 2021 and April 2026 at University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City. Data on recipient and donor characteristics, operative variables, postoperative complications, and survival rates were collected and analyzed.
Results: Forty-four cases were included with a median follow-up of 17.97 months (IQR: 6.83 – 36.93; range: 0.26 – 93.69). The median age was 2 years and median weight was 10 kg; biliary atresia was the primary indication (81.8%). Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) accounted for 88.6% of cases, with 66.7% of donor hepatectomies performed laparoscopically. The median graft-to-recipient weight ratio (GRWR) was 2.28. Median operative time was 590 minutes, and blood loss was 655 mL. Common complications included pleural effusion requiring drainage (22.7%), acute rejection (18.2%), and CMV infection (9.1%). Cumulative 1-year and 3-year survival rates were 90.5% (95% CI: 76.7 – 96.3%).
Conclusion: Early implementation of pediatric LT at our center is feasible and demonstrates encouraging survival outcomes. While surgical complications remain low, optimizing perioperative care for respiratory and infectious challenges is essential.
Keywords
pediatric liver transplantation, biliary atresia, living donor liver transplantation, survival, complications.
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References
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