An Overview on Pediatric Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Living donor liver transplantation offers a crucial alternative for young patients in need. While the feasibility and safety of this procedure in pediatric recipients have been extensively established, surgeons navigating this specialized domain encounter formidable challenges. These challenges include meticulous donor selection and evaluation, comprehensive recipient pretransplant workup and management, the intricacies of both donor and recipient operations, and life-long monitoring of surgical and medical complications - particularly those stemming from chronic immunosuppression. In alignment with the dynamic nature of medical advancements, pediatric liver transplantation continually evolves, propelled by emerging technologies that impact various facets of both surgical and non-surgical aspects. This review, acknowledging the vastness of the subject matter, refrains from exhaustive coverage, opting instead to provide a comprehensive overview of fundamental principles. Additionally, it serves as a glimpse into rapidly progressing elements, encompassing advancements in preoperative assessments, the integration of minimally invasive surgical techniques, and the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning algorithms and artificial neural networks. In essence, this review seeks to offer a nuanced perspective on pediatric living donor liver transplantation, capturing essential principles while highlighting key areas of innovation and progress.