The liver is the only organ in the body that can regenerate after part of it is removed.
60-70% can be removed, and most of its original function will be restored in four-to-six weeks,
and nearly all of it within a year, though the original size and shape isn’t restored.
Because of this unique ability, a donated cut of a liver can replace a diseased liver,
and will also grow back to a normal size.
Usually, both persons’ blood types need to match.
In children less than 1 years old, however, an ABO-incompatible-liver can be used, due
to their immature immune system.
At Children’s Hospital Colorado, we have several transplant options, depending on availability,
your child’s age, and the extent of their disease.
In a “Live Donor Transplant,” a healthy adult, usually a relative, donates part of
their liver.
We have the largest non-directed, or “voluntary,” programs in the nation, where often altruistic,
total strangers volunteer, making this our most-common transplant option.
It can be scheduled at a good time for your family, and allows plenty of time to evaluate
and plan for the donated liver.
The donor’s surgery occurs at the University of Colorado, and your child’s occurs at
Children’s, at about the same time.
Both groups work as one big team, remaining in constant communication.
First, an incision is made in the donor’s abdomen.
Depending on the size of your child, the left or right lobe is donated, although it is usually
the left lateral segment.
Next, all major vessels are closed, including the hepatic artery, portal vein, hepatic vein,
and the bile duct.
Once the donated liver arrives, it is prepared for the transplant.
Next, an incision is made in your child’s abdomen, right near the liver.
The old liver is carefully removed, the new liver is placed, and all major vessels are
connected.
Finally, the new bile duct is connected to either the recipient’s bile duct, or small
intestine.
Over time, the new liver grows with your child.
The next three options use a gift of life from a deceased donor, matched to your child
via the national UNOS Transplant List.
As opposed to a live-donor transplant, a greater length of the bile duct, hepatic artery, and
the portal vein can be used, as well as the inferior vena cava, giving the team more technical
options.
Although the timing isn’t as predictable, transplants from deceased donors have excellent
outcomes.
In a segmental liver transplant, a segment of the liver is used.
Once the segment is prepared, your child’s surgery begins.
Again, an incision is made just near the liver.
The diseased liver is removed, the new liver is placed, and each vessel is carefully connected.
In a split-liver transplant, the liver is split in two: one part for a larger child,
or adult, and the other for a smaller child.
The smaller segment replaces your child’s diseased liver, and your surgical team carefully
connects all the vessels.
In a whole-liver transplant, the recipient’s liver is replaced by the donor’s entire
liver.
This option is less common in children.
After surgery, your child will stay at Children’s about 10-to-15 days.
After returning home, you will meet with a board-certified pediatric transplant hepatologist
twice a week, and with our team several times a year until your child is fully recovered.
Here at Children’s, we’re proud to work with Donor Alliance, a nonprofit that facilitates
deceased organ donation in Colorado.
Colorado has one of the highest donor registration rates in the nation, with over two-out-of-three
Coloradans registered.
Our non-directed live-donor program, the largest in the country, also contributes to shorter
wait times, and excellent outcomes.
We regularly care for patients that live out-of-state, allowing them to list at our center, as well
as others.
Our comprehensive team works as a seamless unit, including: hepatologists, transplant
surgeons, nephrologists, and many others.
We also have hematologists and a metabolic team available if needed.
To learn more, click here, call us, or visit our website below.