Background: Liver transplantation is currently the only treatment for terminal liver disease.
Methods: In our center, from 2014 to 2022, 15 liver transplants from a living donor to pediatric patients were performed. The ages of the children ranged from 6 to 14 months. The causes of terminal liver damage were congenital liver disease (atresia of the biliary tract) and intrauterine infections (cytomegalovirus). All transplants were performed according to the group compatibility of the donor and recipient. The donors were relatives of the patients. The body weight of children ranged from 6.5 to 17 kg. In all cases, transplantation of the left lateral sector of the liver was performed. Immunosuppressive therapy included: induction - basiliximab, basic - tacrolimus, MMF, glucocorticoids.
Results: Of the 15 transplants performed, surgical complications were observed in three (20%) cases. All complications were corrected by repeated surgery. Mortality 2 (13.3%) patients. Mortality arose in the early posttransplant period. Cause of death - multiple organ failure. One donor developed a beloma in the area of the resected liver in the early postoperative period. Drainage of liquid formation was carried out. The rest of the donors had no complications. The duration of surgical intervention in donors was 41.5 hours, in recipients, 7.52 hours. The average length of hospital stay for donors was 13.4 bed-days, and recipients were hospitalized for an average of 47.7 bed-days.
Conclusions: We consider liver transplantation from a living donor to young children to be a more optimal method of treatment. Removing the left lateral liver for transplantation is safer for a living donor.