China News, Wuhan, March 21st (Tong Xuan) A life relay operation was staged in Wuhan Tongji Hospital on the 21st: in an operating room, a 40-year-old The mother performed liver donation surgery; in another operating room, Yang Yang (pseudonym), who was over 1 year old, had his diseased liver removed and implanted a healthy liver donated by his mother.
Yangyang lives in Anlu, Hubei. Shortly after birth, his stool was white and his jaundice became more and more severe. He was later diagnosed with “biliary atresia”, accompanied by irreversible liver cirrhosis. After receiving the consultation, the expert team of Wuhan Tongji Children’s Hospital performed the Kasai operation on the 82-day-old Yang Yang on December 28, 2020, using the tiny bile duct near the hepatic hilum to reconstruct the hepato-enteric anastomosis and drain the bile.
According to doctors, in general, children with biliary atresia within 60 days after birth have a relatively good prognosis if Kasai surgery can be performed in time; but for some older children (over 90 days) Because of the severe cirrhosis of the liver, the Kasai surgery can improve bile drainage, but it cannot reverse the cirrhosis of the liver, and eventually a liver transplant is required.
After Kasai’s surgery, Yang Yang’s jaundice was significantly reduced. But the good times didn’t last long, less than a year after the operation, Yang Yang began to have ascites, low protein, persistent high fever due to cholangitis and other symptoms. Feng Jiexiong, director of pediatric surgery at Wuhan Tongji Children’s Hospital, believes that Yangyang is in urgent need of a liver transplant.
Photo courtesy of Wuhan Tongji Hospital during the operation
“As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I will save him, I am willing to give him the whole liver.” Yangyang’s mother decided to donate the liver to save the child.
On March 21, the in-vivo liver transplant was successfully completed. The doctor took 240g of Yangyang’s mother’s healthy liver and implanted it in Yangyang’s body.
“Operating on children is like repairing a watch. Compared with adults, the same disease, the complexity and sophistication, and the difficulty of the operation are all multiplied.” Feng Jiexiong pointed out that biliary atresia is a A benign disease that does not recur like a tumor, can survive as long as you take anti-rejection drugs and follow up as directed by your doctor after transplantation.
Experts reminded that biliary atresia is not terrible, and early diagnosis and early Kasai surgery are necessary; and close observation of children with jaundice after Kasai surgery, progress of liver cirrhosis and cholangitis attack, comprehensively. The timing of liver transplantation is critical. (End)