{"id":141806,"date":"2026-01-20T17:48:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T17:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/141806\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T17:48:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T17:48:07","slug":"childrens-hospital-los-angeles-once-again-leads-nation-in-pediatric-liver-transplant-outcomes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/141806\/","title":{"rendered":"Children\u2019s Hospital Los Angeles Once Again Leads Nation in Pediatric Liver Transplant Outcomes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles<\/a> (CHLA) continues to lead the nation in pediatric liver transplant outcomes\u2014achieving the best one- and three-year patient survival rates in the United States for the , according to newly released data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). In addition to these best-in-class outcomes, CHLA also remained among the nation\u2019s highest-volume centers. The team performed 29 pediatric liver transplants in 2025\u2014the most in the Western U.S. and among the top 3 programs nationally.<\/p>\n

\u201cAchieving the nation\u2019s best survival rates while sustaining one of the highest-volume and most complex pediatric liver transplant practices in the country is extraordinary,\u201d says Kambiz Etesami, MD, FACS<\/a>, Chief of Abdominal Organ Transplantation<\/a> at Children\u2019s Hospital Los Angeles. \u201cThese results are a direct reflection of the strength and dedication of our entire multidisciplinary team.\u201d<\/p>\n

The most complex cases<\/p>\n

According to the SRTR data, CHLA\u2019s pediatric liver transplant patients had:<\/p>\n

100% one-year survival, compared with 96.22% nationally (July 1, 2022-Dec. 31, 2024)4% three-year survival, compared with 93% nationally (June 13, 2020-June 30, 2022)<\/p>\n

These outcomes are especially notable given that the team takes on the most complex and difficult cases.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese numbers are not just strong\u2014they are exceptional,\u201d says Beth Carter, MD<\/a>, Section Chief of Hepatology and Medical Director of the Liver Transplant Program<\/a>. \u201cThey are a testament to our team\u2019s deep experience across every stage of care.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2025, CHLA achieved several surgical firsts and milestones, including performing a transplant on a 2-week-old infant\u2014the youngest-ever liver transplant recipient in California<\/a>. Because the donor was a deceased adult, surgeons had to split the organ and then further reduce the graft to safely transplant it into the 7-pound baby. Also last year, the team performed synchronous liver transplants on two pediatric patients<\/a>, using portions of the same donated liver. The exceedingly rare dual procedures saved the lives of two children.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are surgeries that only a handful of programs in the country can perform,\u201d Dr. Etesami notes. \u201cOur goal is to expand access to transplant for children who previously would not have been candidates.\u201d<\/p>\n

Living donors decrease wait times<\/p>\n

The newly released data also underscore CHLA\u2019s leadership in living donor liver transplantation<\/a>. Since the program\u2019s launch in 1998, roughly\u00a0one-third of all liver transplants performed at CHLA have involved a living donor. This gives children access to a lifesaving transplant sooner, reduces wait list times, and allows surgeons to tailor grafts to a child\u2019s size and clinical needs. In a\u00a0living donor transplant, a patient receives a small portion of a liver from a relative or compatible volunteer. The donor liver regrows to its previous capacity within six to 12 weeks, while the transplanted portion grows as the child does.<\/p>\n

An integrated team<\/p>\n

CHLA\u2019s leading outcomes stem from a deeply integrated model that brings together pediatric transplant surgeons and hepatologists, hospital medicine physicians, transplant nurses and coordinators, interventional radiology<\/a>, critical care teams, and specialists in nutrition<\/a>, psychology<\/a>, and social work<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cCare is coordinated seamlessly across multiple specialties,\u201d says Rohit Kohli, MBBS, MS,<\/a> Chief of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at CHLA and Associates Chair in Liver and Intestinal Research. \u201cFamilies are supported every step of the way, from diagnosis and transplant through long-term follow-up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Backed by a robust research program, CHLA continues to grow its leadership in pediatric liver transplantation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are proud of what these results mean for our patients,\u201d Dr. Kohli says. \u201cBut our focus is always forward\u2014to advance the science, broaden access, and give every child the strongest chance for a healthy future.\u201d<\/p>\n

About Children\u2019s Hospital Los Angeles\u00a0<\/p>\n

Children\u2019s Hospital Los Angeles\u00a0is\u00a0at the forefront of pediatric medicine\u00a0and\u00a0is the largest provider of hospital care for children in California. Since its founding in 1901,\u00a0CHLA has\u00a0delivered a level of pediatric care that is among the best in the world.\u00a0Ranked one of the top 10 children\u2019s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report,\u00a0Children\u2019s Hospital Los Angeles\u00a0provides\u00a0comprehensive and compassionate care to one of the largest and most diverse pediatric patient populations in the country.\u00a0The hospital is the top-ranked children\u2019s hospital in California and the Pacific U.S. region for 2025-26.\u00a0A leader in pediatric research, CHLA\u00a0is among the top 10 children\u2019s hospitals for research funding from the National Institutes of Health.\u00a0The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles supports the full continuum of research, translating scientific discoveries into life-changing treatments for patients around the globe.\u00a0As\u00a0a\u00a0pediatric academic medical center, CHLA is\u00a0also\u00a0home to one of the largest graduate education\u00a0programs for pediatricians in the United States.\u202fThe\u00a0hospital\u2019s commitment to building stronger, healthier\u00a0communities is\u00a0evident\u00a0in CHLA\u2019s efforts to enhance health education and literacy, introduce more people to careers in health care, and fight food insecurity. To learn more, follow CHLA on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>,\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>,\u00a0YouTube<\/a>,\u00a0and\u00a0X<\/a>, and visit\u00a0CHLA.org.<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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