Liver transplantation in alpha(1)-antitrypsin deficiency.

Only a minority of infants born with alpha(1)-antitrypsin deficiency will develop serious liver disease during childhood, mostly but not always after neonatal cholestasis. Early prognosis is difficult and all children have to be followed up carefully. The liver disease progresses with varying speed and it lacks specific features. At the time of liver transplantation the young patients have no pulmonary disease induced by the deficiency and in those with renal involvement, the kidney problems can mostly be dealt with by conservative therapy. The peri- and postoperative care of the patients who undergo liver transplantation does not differ from the usual routines.