UPMC Children's Hepatology Faculty Publishes Comprehensive Review on Intestinal Failure and Transplantation

Faculty from the Pediatric Hepatology Program in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh were invited by the journal Pediatric Transplantation to write a review article for the May 2024 edition.

The review, titled "From intestinal failure to transplantation: Review on the current need for transplant indications under multidisciplinary transplant programs worldwide," discusses the complex management of pediatric intestinal failure and covers a range of topics pertinent to the clinical management of children with severe gastrointestinal disorders who may require transplantation.

Vikram K. Raghu, MD, MS, and Simon P. Horslen, MD, director of Pediatric Hepatology authored the review along with Carolina Rumbo, MD, from the Unidad de Soporte Nutricional, Rehabilitación y Trasplante Intestinal Hospital Universitario Fundación Favaloro, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

About the Review: Educational Highlights for Readers

• History of Parenteral Nutrition: The development and advancements in providing total parenteral nutrition (TPN), including home-based TPN solutions.

   

• Intestinal Transplantation: The progression of intestine transplant techniques, including early animal studies and successful human applications, alongside the development of immunosuppressive therapies.

   

• Transplant Indications: Detailed guidelines and evolving criteria for considering intestine transplants, addressing complications like severe liver disease, recurring sepsis, and loss of vascular access.

   

• Intestinal Rehabilitation: The role of multidisciplinary teams in managing intestinal failure, emphasizing the importance of early involvement of transplant surgeons and the benefits of collaborative care.

   

• Emerging Therapies: Innovations in medical and surgical treatments, such as the use of GLP-2 analogs and advanced surgical techniques like intestinal lengthening, which have significantly improved transplant-free survival rates.

Read the complete open access review using the link below.

Reference

Raghu VK, Rumbo C, Horslen SP. From intestinal failure to transplantation: Review on the current need for transplant indications under multidisciplinary transplant programs worldwide. Pediatr Transplant. 2024 May; 28(3): e14756.