IRCCS Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Roma

Centre information

The Hepatology and Transplant Clinic Unit operates within the Metabolic Diseases and Hepatology Division of the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, one of Italy's four Scientific Institutes for Research and Treatment (IRCCS). The Unit treats all acute and chronic liver diseases and is part of the Hospital's Liver Transplant Centre.
Its focus includes congenital (biliary atresia, choledochal cysts), genetic (Alagille syndrome, progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, bile salt synthesis disorders, Wilson's disease, etc.), immunological (autoimmune hepatitis, including forms associated with immunodeficiency or haematologic disorders), metabolic, infectious, and vascular diseases.

The Hepato-Bilio-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver and Kidney Transplantation Unit cure hepatobiliary diseases, including tumours (hepatoblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, vascular tumours, sarcoma, adenoma, mesenchymal hamartoma, focal nodular hyperplasia), malformations (biliary atresia, choledochal cysts), infective (liver abscesses, hydatidosis), vascular (congenital portosystemic shunt, arterioportal fistulas, portal vein cavernoma), and post-traumatic diseases. Treated pancreatic diseases are: tumours (insulinoma, pseudopapillary tumour, pancreatoblastoma), acute and chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic trauma.
The Unit extensively uses laparoscopic surgery. The main operations performed are: liver resection, Kasai operation, biliary-enteric reconstructions, meso-Rex shunt, portosystemic shunts, congenital shunt closure, duodenal pancreatectomy, distal and central pancreatectomy, splenectomy, and cholecystectomy.
The Unit is part of the Hospital's Liver Transplant Centre and performs whole and partial liver transplants from deceased and living donors, as well as kidney transplants from deceased and living donors.

Thanks also to its high volume of activity (> 500 paediatric patients/year), the Bambino Gesù Hepatology and Hepato-Bilio-Pancreatic Surgery Centre is a centre of excellence for paediatric patients and treats children from all over the country and abroad. In the same areas of clinical practice, it conducts clinical and preclinical research and academic activities in specialization schools in paediatric and hepatobiliary surgery, and master's programmes in gastroenterology and rare diseases. The Centre is a regional referral centre for rare liver diseases and is active in numerous national (SIGENP, AISF, SIP) and international networks (ERN TransplantChild, International Registry of Congenital Portosystemic Shunts, ESPGHAN).