Transition to Adult Care for Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings Vol. 52; no. 5; pp. 1496 - 1499
• Main Authors: Quintero, Jesús, Juampérez, Javier, Mercadal-Hally, Maria, Larrarte, Mauricio, Vidal, Lis, Castells, Lluís, Charco, Ramon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-06-2020
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2020.02.056

In recent years a growing number of pediatric liver transplant recipients are reaching adulthood and are transferred to an adult team. Because pediatric to adult transition has become a common event with many particularities, specific clinical protocols are needed to guide professionals in this process. Transition must be seen as a complex process of high vulnerability for the patient. The incorrect assumption that the transition process is only a bureaucratic transfer of information leads to inappropriate transition procedures that result in young patients not ready to move to adult units with guaranteed success. To ensure this success, a correct coordination and transmission of the information, accompaniment by the health professional during the whole process, and the empowerment of the patient are required. To have a successful transition, a person within the pediatric team must be in charge of the process (named worker).