부산대학교 도서관

The development of pediatric liver transplantation (LTx) over the past decades has been a success story. As the established standard treatment for classical indications, such as biliary cirrhosis, LTx shows excellent long-term survival in the hands of experienced, highly qualified interdisciplinary treatment teams. The interdisciplinary team consist of pediatricians, transplantation surgeons, nursing personnel, intensive care specialists, anesthetists, physiotherapists, dieticians, speech therapists and psychosocial workers. In spite of this, a liver transplantation replaces a previously life-limiting disease with a new chronic disease status. With respect to the long-term perspectives, the prevention and recognition of complications after LTx have become even more important. In addition to ensuring a functioning transplant, the focus of care is on aspects of quality of life, rehabilitation, monitoring of therapy-associated side effects and strengthening compliance. The lack of donor organs necessitates an optimal utilization of all available resources, including splitting of suitable organs. With respect to novel innovative forms of therapy, the future will reveal to what extent the indications for pediatric LTx will change.