Successful Liver Transplant Performed in Lviv
At the St. Nicholas Children's Hospital in Lviv, surgeons successfully transplanted a liver into seven-month-old David, a child from the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Born with biliary atresia, a congenital condition that blocks bile flow from the liver to the intestines, David required urgent medical intervention. His father donated a part of his liver for the transplant, which lasted 12 hours.
David’s health issues first appeared at three months when mild jaundice was detected due to high bilirubin levels in his blood. Without a transplant, children with biliary atresia rarely survive past 18 months. Prior to surgery, medical staff focused on helping David gain weight. Although his weight was recorded at 9.5 kg before the operation, fluid retention reduced his actual body mass to 6.2 kg. Additionally, his hepatic artery measured about 2 mm in diameter.
Post-Operation Progress and the Vital Role of Donors
The transplanted liver began functioning immediately during surgery. Following the operation, David’s skin color normalized, his appetite improved, and he became more active. At the time of reporting, David was eight months old. Dr. Dmytro Hrytsak explained,
“Reaching a target weight of 10 kg with biliary atresia is extremely challenging. Babies often require feeding tubes because they need more nutrition than they can physically consume. Cirrhosis impairs the liver’s protein production, so we strive to provide as many nutrients as possible to support its function.”
In a related success at the Lviv Pediatric Medical Center, kidney transplants were performed on two young girls—two-year-old Sofiia and four-year-old Bozhena—using organs from a single deceased 49-year-old donor. This case highlights both the critical importance of organ donation and advances in pediatric transplant medicine.
David’s successful liver transplant represents a major advancement in treating infants born with life-threatening conditions requiring immediate surgery. It also underscores the urgent need for donor participation, which can save numerous children facing severe illnesses. The growing frequency of organ transplants in Ukraine marks a positive development in the nation’s healthcare capabilities.