What is the postoperative period like for the child who receives a transplanted liver?
The length of hospitalization will vary, depending on the individual patient. A typical hospital stay for school-age children is seven to 10 days. Infants are usually hospitalized for two to three weeks following the transplant procedure. Patients are placed on immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection of the transplanted liver. The doctors may perform a liver biopsy to check for signs of rejection. Rejection may be managed by increasing or adding immunosuppressive drugs. Since patients on immunosuppression are vulnerable to bacterial and viral disease, patients are monitored for signs and symptoms of infection. The transplant team also monitors the child for signs of bleeding and other potential postoperative complications. Occasionally, a patient will have to return to the operating room for evaluation and treatment of a postoperative complication.
