Liver Care Center
Nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report
Treating pediatric liver disease
The Liver Care Center, part of the Children’s Mercy Division of Gastroenterology, is designed to provide a medical home for children dealing with highly complex liver disease. Our team prides itself on customizing care for your child by offering multiple care options – including nonsurgical interventions, non-transplant surgery (i.e., shunt procedures), and transplant surgery. These options give the clinical care team the ability to try to salvage your child’s organ before a transplant is needed.
Our liver care team
Our team of liver specialists is committed to providing comprehensive care by partnering with families to care for each child – not just the disease. We work directly with other specialists throughout Children’s Mercy whenever needed in order to give children the best available care. We also coordinate with hepatology and transplant teams at the University of Kansas Medical Center to offer comprehensive care as our teenage patients transition to adulthood.
Conditions
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Acute fulminant hepatic failure
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Alagille syndrome
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Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency
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Autoimmune hepatitis
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Biliary atresia
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Biliary hypoplasia
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Budd-Chiari syndrome
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Hepatic insufficiency
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Hepatic vascular malformations
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Hepatitis A, B & C (chronic or acute)
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Hepatoblastoma
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Hepatomegaly
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Jaundice
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Liver transplant
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Caroli's disease/syndrome
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Cholangitis
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Choledochal cyst
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Cholestasis
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Cirrhosis
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Cystic fibrosis related liver disease
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Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH)
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Gilbert's syndrome
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Glycogen storage disease
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Hepatic adenomas
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Hepatic encephalopathy
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Hepatic hemangioendothelioma (inc. Infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma)
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Mesenchymal hamartoma
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Neonatal hepatitis
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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) & non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
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Portal vein malformations/thrombosis
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Primary sclerosing cholangitis
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Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC)
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Splenomegaly
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Viral hepatitis
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Wilson disease
Abernethy Malformation: Dawson’s Story
Dawson Berg kept having severe infections requiring surgery and other complex care. His family was told that liver transplant may be his only option, until the team at Children’s Mercy diagnosed him with Abernethy Malformation. After a shunt ligation surgery, he’s able to live a normal life, free from serious infections.
Portal Hypertension: Taylor’s Story
After an early fight against cancer as a toddler, Taylor developed life-threatening portal hypertension as a pre-teen. The team in the Children’s Mercy Liver Care Center was able to give her a surgical solution to get her healthy and back home.
Liver transplant: Brendan’s story
Diagnosed with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency as an infant, Brendan Elam’s condition was stable until he was about 7 years old. That’s when his liver began to fail, eventually leading to the need for a liver transplant at Children’s Mercy. Brendan’s transplant and recovery went well, and today he’s an active college student pursuing a degree in music education.
Liver transplant: Gable's story
At 22 years old, Gable Dull is living his best life, recently married, studying law and enjoying hunting and fishing. But nearly a decade ago, his future was uncertain. He was diagnosed with Wilson’s disease, a rare inherited condition. A liver transplant at Children’s Mercy Kansas City has helped him get healthy and stay that way.
Liver transplant: Marissa's story
Marissa Ebbing has had a lot to overcome in her young life--prematurity, liver cancer, and then a liver transplant. But with her Children's Mercy Hematology/Oncology and Liver Care Center teams, she's not just surviving, but thriving!
Liver transplants: Cambree's story
Born with a rare liver disorder called biliary atresia, Cambree Alvarez required not one, but two liver transplants at Children’s Mercy before her second birthday. Today, she’s the “cutest Little Miss Sassy Pants,” enjoying life to its fullest.
