Living related donor liver transplantation for infant with Crigler-Najjar syndrome type Ⅰ: a report of one case and literature review

  Objective  To summarize the therapeutic effects of living related donor liver transplantation for Crigler-Najjar syndrome type Ⅰ (CNS type Ⅰ).

  Methods  A 3-month-old male infant had appeared a progressive xanthochromia of the skin and sclera 4 d after birth without obvious cause. Other causative factors were eliminated after relevant tests were completed, and identified as CNS type Ⅰ by genetic testing. Living related donor liver transplantation was performed with his mother as the donor. An immunosuppression regimen was routinely applied postoperatively and tacrolimus doses were adjusted according to biochemical indicators and cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A5 genotype of the recipient.

  Results  The liver enzymes of the recipient returned to normal at 7 d postoperatively, and bilirubin decreased daily and fell to the normal range at 22 d postoperatively. Followed up to the submission date, the recipient's xanthochromia of skin and scleral faded with normal bilirubin and stable liver enzymes. The condition of the recipient was generally good with high quality of life.

  Conclusions  Living donor liver transplantation can treat unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia and other diseases caused by CNS type Ⅰ, which greatly improve the quality of life of patients.