Pediatric Liver Transplant Program Celebrates 200 Lives Saved and 20 Years

It may be hard to imagine, but if you lived in Utah and your child needed a liver transplant in 1995, you would have had to travel to another state, spending a significant amount of time away from home and family, with a seriously ill child.

Thanks to the leadership of Dr. Linda Book, a pediatric liver disease and transplantation Program was established at Primary Children’s Hospital in 1996 to address the needs of children in the West with liver disease. This year our team hit a milestone performing the 200th pediatric liver transplant. Having a program like this close to home is a big deal, especially when you consider that there are only twenty-five pediatric liver transplant programs in the entire country. While liver disease in children is rare, it is a serious condition, needing an entire team of specialists.

“What a privilege it has been to lead and develop this program with a dedicated, skilled, smart, compassionate team,” said Linda Book, MD. “It is indescribable to see a child, life-threateningly ill, smile only a few days after a liver transplant. Wow! 20 years and 200 transplants with 90% of children leading healthy lives! It brings me tears of joy when I think of the birthday parties, school proms, dance and piano recitals, sports awards, graduations, marriages, and becoming mothers and fathers.”

Pediatric Liver Transplant Program Highlights:

• Brings together experienced clinicians and surgeons, who actively participate in national research programs and initiatives.
• Provides transplantation for 12-15 children per year and continues to grow.
• Completed its 200th liver transplant in 2015.
• Serves as a regional referral center – providing care for Utah and adjoining states.
• Performs reduced-size, split liver, and living donor liver transplantation for very small babies, children, and teens. (The program has performed 27 living liver transplants to date.)
• Has excellent survival outcomes – comparable to other top transplant centers across the United States.

The collaborative nature of our program brings experts from the University of Utah and Intermountain Medical Center, affording families the benefits of consultation provided by a large group of national experts, while maintaining a personal level of care and focus on the patient and family.

Our program provides comprehensive care for children with liver disease every step of the way, from diagnosis, to transplantation, and follow up care. A multidisciplinary care team is in place to help patients and families navigate the complicated, overwhelming, and emotional process. Our team is dedicated, passionate, and will be there every step of the way. The team has pediatric-focused transplant physicians, transplant surgeons, transplant nurse coordinators, transplant assistants, child life specialists, social workers, pharmacists, and a transplant financial coordinator. It literally takes a village!

We are humbled to have had the opportunity to affect the lives of so many patients and families, and look forward to continuing to serve the children and families of Utah and beyond.

A life-saving transplant gives a child a second chance – which we have witnessed first-hand, 200 times.

Pediatric Liver Transplant Patient Spotlight - Meet Cathy

About the Author

Primary Children's Hospital

Primary Children’s Hospital ranks among the best children's hospitals. Located in scenic Utah, everything in our hospital is focused on providing the best care for children. For more than 90 years, we have been committed to helping children, families, and communities across the western United States.

http://primarychildrens.org

Share This Article