ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the cause of jejunum perforation after infantile livingrelated liver transplantation (ILRLT) and summarize the experience of treatment. Methods The clinical data of 28 infants with biliary atresia who underwent ILRLT were analyzed and 4 of 28 infantile recipients (14. 3%) developed jejunum perforation after ILDLT. Results Four patients had 7 episodes of jejunum perforation after transplantation among 28 infantile recipients who underwent ILRLT because of biliary atresia. The median time between transplantation and perforation was 11 days.Perforation occurred at the point of silk in jejunum stoma (n = 3) and the Roux-en-Y limb (n = 1 ).None had a history of prior operation including Kasai in 4 patients. Clinical manifestation included fever, increased heart rate, abdominal distention, leukocytosis, and no free air on abdominal roentgenograrns. A simple repair was performed in three infants with silk: two developed recurrent perforation (67%) and underwent a re-exploration,and another had a third perforation and underwent a third repair because of re-perforation. Another child underwent a simple repair with prolene, and there was no recurrence. None died from the perforation in our study. Conclusion The occurrence and location of jejunum perforation after ILDLT suggests that the cause of the perforation is related to the jejunal anastomosis with silk, and the jejunum perforation may be avoided in the jejunal anastomosis with prolene. Early diagnosis and exploration may ensure better survival.