Abstract
The intensive care of the pediatric patient following solid organ transplant actually begins prior to surgery with a discussion of the patient among all the key stakeholders. Giving families tours of the pediatric intensive care unit, building a dedicated nursing team, and having resources available are essential. Following surgery, attention to detail is the key component during the transition from the operating room to the intensive care unit. This review covers handoff from the operating room to the intensive care unit, postoperative stabilization, and management including respiratory management, fluids, electrolytes and acid/base status, cardiovascular management, assessment of graft function, and neurologic management. Other topics specific to the transplant include immunosuppression, anticoagulation, infection prevention, and nutrition. It is important to monitor for complications following solid organ transplant; failure to rescue starts with a failure to recognize. Common complications following transplantation are discussed including primary nonfunction, vascular complications, biliary complications, rejection, and infection.
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Rozenfeld, R.A., Harris, Z.L. (2018). Intensive Care of the Child After Liver Transplantation. In: Dunn, S., Horslen, S. (eds) Solid Organ Transplantation in Infants and Children. Organ and Tissue Transplantation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08049-9_44-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08049-9_44-1
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