- Alagille syndrome
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a rare, inherited disorder in which there are fewer than normal bile ducts in the liver. It often affects the liver and other organs, including the heart, eyes, spine and kidneys.
A small number of patients develop severe liver disease and require liver transplantation.
- allograft
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a tissue or organ transplanted between genetically non-identical individuals of the same species (i.e., human to human).
- biliary atresia
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a rare disease of the liver and bile ducts that occurs in infants. Symptoms of the disease appear or develop about two to eight weeks after birth.
See also New liver equals new life for Michael
- compliance
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the act of following orders, adhering to rules and policies such as taking medications as directed
- crossmatch
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a blood test for patient antibodies against donor antigens. A positive crossmatch shows that the donor and patient do not match. A negative crossmatch means there is no reaction between donor and patient and that the transplant may proceed.
- fulminant hepatic failure (severe liver failure)
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a rare condition in children that accounts for 10-15 percent of all pediatric transplants
- graft
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a term used to describe transplanted organs, tissues, or cells, such as uninjured skin which is removed from its original site and placed on a burn wound.
- immunosuppression
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a state in which the ability of the body's immune system to respond is decreased. This condition may be present at birth, or it may be caused by certain infections (such as human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV), or by certain cancer therapies, such as cancer cell killing (cytotoxic) drugs, radiation, and bone marrow transplantation.
- immunosuppressive medications
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medications that suppress the body's immune system; used to minimize rejection of transplanted organs.
- informed consent
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a legal document that explains a course of treatment, the risks, benefits, and possible alternatives; the process by which patients agree to treatment.
- National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA)
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an act passed by Congress in 1984 that outlaws the sale of human organs and began the development of a national system for organ sharing and a scientific registry to collect and report transplant data
- organ procurement
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the removal or retrieval of organs from a donor for transplantation
- rejection
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a phenomenon that occurs when a recipient's immune system attacks a transplanted organ, tissue or cell