Children’s organ transplantations
Keywords:The New Children’s Hospital manages all organ transplantations for children in Finland. More than 550 children and adolescents to date have received an organ transplant.
The indications for organ transplantations in children differ from those in adults. When a transplantation is indicated, it is often because of a congenital structural defect or condition where the need for a transplant becomes evident in the first few months of life. An organ transplantation is the final resort in treating an incurable condition.
We mainly use organs donated by adults for children’s organ transplantations. This places certain demands on the quality of the transplants, because children are expected to have to live a long life with their replacement organ.
The long-term survival rates are more than 90% for children’s kidney transplantations and about 70% for children’s heart and liver transplantations. Children and adolescents who have received an organ transplant can largely lead a normal life but will need to take anti-rejection medication and be monitored for the rest of their lives.
Sometimes it is necessary to transplant several organs at once. Examples of this are heart-lung transplantations, liver and kidney transplantations, and liver and bowel transplantations.
Elinsiirtotalo (in Finnish) (opens in new window, links to another website)
Elinsiirtotalo.fi is a specialized health care service that contains information about organ donation, and transplantations in both adults and children. Available in Finnish.
Units
Ward Taika, New Children's Hospital
On Ward Taika, we treat patients with cancer or hematological diseases as well as stem cell transplantation patients, and kidney, liver and organ…
Surgery and Anesthesia Unit, New Children's Hospital
In the Surgery and Anesthesia Unit of New Children's Hospital, we treat patients under the age of 16.
Day Hospital and Outpatient Clinic Taika, New Children's Hospital
In addition to the day hospital activities, Day Hospital and Outpatient Clinic Taika has a procedural unit, hematological outpatient clinic with physicians…
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Laakso, New Children's Hospital
In Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Laakso at New Children's Hospital, we treat children who are critically or severely ill.