72 Hours: Two Liver Lobe Transplantations

Two complex liver lobe transplantations took place within 72 hours at Schneider Children’s. In both cases involving a teenager of 15 and a six-month-old infant, who suffered from liver failure, liver lobes were donated by their fathers.

The teenager arrived at Schneider Children’s suffering from severe liver failure without any pre-existing condition. He underwent extensive testing to locate the source of the sudden liver failure, but without success. Within a few days, his condition deteriorated threatening his life. His father was found to be a suitable donor.

The 6-month-old infant suffered from a congenital defect lacking a bile duct, also threatening his life. He was the smallest liver transplant candidate in the country. His father was also found to be a suitable donor. Both children and fathers recovered well.

A living related liver transplant is an especially complex procedure, requiring the expeertise of a select surgical team comprising pediatric transplant surgeons, ultrasound technicians, gastroenterologists, anesthetists and surgical nurses, intensivists and more. During the operation, the donor and recipient are placed in adjoining operating rooms. After the liver lobe has been removed, it is transferred to the second operating room and transplanted into the child’s body.

Schneider Children’s conducts the majority of organ transplantations in children in Israel and is among the few pediatric institutions in the world capable of performing several organ transplantations at the same time. Since the hospital’s inception, over 500 organ transplantations have taken place including heart, lung, liver and kidney, with a success rate on a par with leading medical centers in the world.