7-month-old child undergoes high risk liver transplant

The child was suffering from biliary atresia, a condition in which bile formed in the liver is not able to drain into the intestines leading to the appearance of jaundice. In untreated cases, this can even lead to liver failure. Although the child was being treated for jaundice since birth, the underlying condition was undetected, and at five months of age, he developed severe bleeding inside his brain. The only option left was a liver transplant.

Any new-born child with prolonged jaundice and symptoms such as white clay coloured stools and bleeding from any part of the body, or unusual behaviour such as excessive crying, not feeding well or not gaining weight are considered high risk category for liver failure. The doctors at Gleneagles Global Health City took up liver transplant using a segment of liver donated by the child’s father. The surgery took more than seven hours.

“Jaundice in new-born babies is a condition in which there is yellowish discolouration of the eyes and skin. This is a common condition in new-borns, more so in preterm babies,” said Dr P Karnan, paediatric intensivist, Gleneagles Global Health City.

In most cases, the yellow staining appears by 2-3 days after birth and improves by 10-14 days. This is called physiological jaundice of infant. However, every baby with jaundice needs to be followed up by paediatrician until the condition improves, as prolonged or very high jaundice can lead to serious disorders, added Dr Karnan. After the surgery, the child has recovered and was discharged from the hospital.