ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine early post-operative intensive care unit follow-up of children after liver transplantation.

Records of the patients who were followed up after liver transplantation in Akdeniz University Medical Faculty Pediatric Intensive Care Unit between January 2010 and January 2015 were retrospectively investigated.

A total number of 31 patients were followed up after liver transplantation during 5-year period. The mean age of the patients was 80,83 (7-205) months and 13 of them (42%) were girls. Cadaveric transplantation was performed in 17 (55%) patients. Duration of mechanical ventilation was 18,4 (0-120) hours, length of stay in intensive care unit was 5,7 (1-18) days and length of hospital stay was found to be 24 (12-77) days. Early post-operative intensive care unit mortality was detected as 16% (5/31).

Intensive care after liver transplantation is an important factor directly affecting the success of organ transplant team. It has been shown that the duration of mechanical ventilation and the rate of vascular complications increased as the age and body weight decreased in the patents who have been followed up in pediatric intensive care unit after liver transplantation. In this study, early post-operative follow-up data of 31 patients who underwent liver transplantation were evaluated in the light of the literature.

Keywords: liver transplantation, early postoperative follow-up, pediatric intensive care