Living related liver transplantation for fulminant hepatitis the role as a hepatologist and pediatrician

We performed living related liver transplantation for fulminant hepatitis (5 men and 2 women, aged 7 months to 33 years) who were evaluated by the selection committee for liver transplantation from 1994 to February 1996. The etiology of the hepatitis was unknown in all patients, and duration from the onset to development of grade II hepatic coma ranged from 7 to 26 days. A request for liver transplantation was made 9 to 35 days after the onset and 0 to 17 days after the development of encephalopathy. The time from a request for liver transplantation until selection committee ranged from 2 to 17 days. Living related liver transplantation was performed in all eligible patients, at 1 to 7 days after the decision of the committee. We realized that living related liver transplantation can be undertaken quickly on demand.