Is Jaundice Really a Disease

About 50% of the pediatric patients who require a liver transplant have biliary atresia. Other disease states that progress to end-stage liver disease among pediatric patients and require liver transplantation include metabolic disorders and progressive intrahepatic cholestasis. Examples of metabolic derangements include Wilson disease, alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, tyrosinemia, and hemochromatosis. Other metabolic disease states leading to hepatic dysfunction include the following Crigler-Najjar syndrome Glycogenosis Hyperoxaluria Metabolic respiratory chain deficiencies Familial hypercholesterolemia Methylmalonyl aciduria

 

Before liver transplant surgery

Following referral to our program, we will schedule your child for an initial consultation with our transplant hepatologist. This initial visit helps us determine the severity of your child’s liver disease and whether a transplant is needed. We will get to know you and your child and you will get to know us. During this visit we will answer your questions and together determine the next steps for your child’s care. Once it is determined your child needs a liver transplant, the process begins with scheduling a pre-transplant evaluation. The initial evaluation typically takes about two to three days. We do our best to schedule your child’s evaluation as quickly as possible