Total Pancreatectomy with Islet Autotransplantation Chronic pancreatitis represents irreversible morphologic and functional changes in the pancreas from persistent or recurrent inflammation. Although an uncommon disease in childhood and adolescence, with an incidence of 4 to 13 cases per 100,000, the…
Pediatric Pancreatitis Pancreatitis is increasing in incidence and is becoming more frequently recognized in the pediatric population. Estimates of incidence are between 3.6 and 13.2 cases per 100,000 children annually. Children may present with only a single episode; however, up…
Cystic Fibrosis Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease that affects approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States and 70,000 worldwide. CF involves multiple organ systems, and presents with varied clinical symptoms. Although pulmonary disease is the…
Buds Form and Fuse The pancreas arises early in gestation from the posterior foregut endoderm. A dorsal and a ventral bud first form before migrating and eventually fusing to form a single tissue. Specifically at day 26 of gestation, the…
Gallbladder disease in children has evolved over the last 25 years. Improved diagnostic modalities, such as abdominal ultrasound, have led to “incidental” or “silent” gallstones being detected more often in children, even in utero . Although hemolytic disease remains a…
Orthotopic liver transplantation (LTX) has become an accepted means for the treatment of end-stage liver disease in both adults and children. The history of pediatric LTX starts with the first human attempt at transplantation by Dr. Starzl in 1963. The…
Pediatric liver disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Advances in diagnosis and treatment, including the successful development of transplantation, have dramatically improved the natural history and outcome for infants and children. Liver failure is a loss…
Portal hypertension (PHT) is a rare problem in pediatrics that can affect multiple organ systems. Prolonged increases in portal pressure can result in life-threatening complications and lead to an array of chronic morbidities. The most common causes of PHT in…
Hepatitis is defined as inflammatory liver injury regardless of cause. Discoveries in the field of molecular biology, microbiology, metabolism, and immunology have greatly expanded the viral “hepatitis alphabet” and our understanding of many of these infectious and inflammatory diseases. New…
Introduction Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the most common form of chronic liver disease in children and has evolved into a serious public health issue. Similar to its presentation in adults, pediatric NAFLD is tightly associated with…