Surgeons at Leuven University Hospital have transplanted four organs into a 2-year-old toddler during one single operation. It is the first time that all the abdominal organs of a toddler have been transplanted during a single operation in Belgium. The stomach, liver, pancreas and small intestine were all transplanted in the young patient in a single operation.
The two-year-old toddler had a genetic disorder that caused a nerve problem in the intestines. As a result, the child could not absorb food in the usual way but had to do so through a catheter. The prolonged use of the catheter in turn caused infections. On top of this, the baby had liver problems. All this meant that all abdominal organs had to be replaced. The operation was a success.
"In adults this is a very exceptional procedure, in a toddler it was the first time it was done," says Professor Jacques Pirenne, head of the abdominal transplant surgery at Leuven University Hospital. "The toddler was very small and weighed only 13 kilograms. That was the big challenge in this operation. Such an operation is also quite complex. We mobilised several teams and specialists at very short notice including some in the middle of the night. We are happy that the young patient is doing well and can eat normally again."
Intense cooperation
A transplant in which all organs in the abdomen are replaced requires intense cooperation between specialists from different disciplines and departments. Once a suitable donor had presented, it was important to get the team up and running at short notice. Then, two surgical teams operated simultaneously on the donor, who was abroad, and on the toddler.
Intestines in particular need to be moved from one body to another very quickly. The operation also poses great risks to the patient's cardiovascular and metabolic systems, especially during the removal of the diseased organs and during the rebleeding of the new organs after their implantation. After transplantation, the patient is monitored for life.