About the Liver Transplant Program
The original Liver Transplant Program at Children's Hospital was founded in 1989; we performed our first two transplants in February 1989 and seven more that same year. In 1995, we joined forces with the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to form a combined liver transplant program under the leadership of transplant surgeons Abraham Shaked, MD and Kim Olthoff, MD and hepatologist Elizbabeth B. Rand, MD.
To date, we've performed 270 liver transplants (including retransplants) in a total of 215 children. Our survival rates meet or exceed national averages.
Statistics
Parents of potential transplant patients often ask us about our transplant survival rates. We're proud that our outcomes meet or exceed national averages. Here's a look at our statistics, compared with expected outcomes, for patients transplanted between July 1, 2003 - Dec. 31, 2005 (the most recent data available):
Graft survival
- At one month: 92.6% (expected 90.8%)
- At one year: 92.6% (expected 84.7%)
- At three years: 91.7% (expected 82.5%)
Patient survival
- At one month: 100% (expected 97.9%)
- At 1 year: 100% (expected 95.2%)
- At 3 years: 100% (expected 91.8%)
Data provided by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.
Please note: These statistics reflect only single-organ (in this case, liver) transplants; they do not reflect multiple organ (e.g., combined liver and kidney) transplants. Retransplant or death is counted as a "graft failure."
In 2004, our average ICU stay was six days; our average total length of a transplant stay was 14.7 days.
You can find more information about post-transplant survival rates at medical centers around the country by visiting the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) web site.
Research
At The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, we conduct one of the largest pediatric research programs in the world, hoping that one day we will be able to prevent more children with liver diseases and abnormalities from needing transplants. For those who will still need transplants, we hope to improve techniques and medications to improve transplant survival rates and quality of life for transplant recipients. Our collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center unlocks new vistas of research possibilities. Our combined liver transplant program allows us to devote time to both basic and clinical research, and provides our patients with access to the latest therapies, trials and research protocols.
Right now, research is focusing on:
- Investigating the origins of pediatric liver disease.
- Studying liver regeneration after transplantation.
- Examining ways to increase the body's tolerance of the transplanted liver.
- Quality of life studies.
- Safety and efficacy of immunization after transplantation.
Be sure to talk to the transplant team if you have any questions about research and clinical trials currently being conducted at Children's Hospital.
Contact Us
- 215-590-4281
