Liver transplantation in Crigler-Najjar syndrome type I disease.

BACKGROUND

Crigler-Najjar syndrome type I (CNS I) is a very rare autosomal recessive inherited disease that liver transplantation can properly deal with.

METHODS

We present one case of an 18-month-old child with CNS I diagnosed by clinical findings and genetic detecting. LTx was performed 5 days after kernicterus broke out and neurological symptoms were successfully reversed.

RESULT: Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed encouraging results that brain pathology had a trend to return to normal in 1-year follow-up, combined with electroencephalogram and motor development estimate studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Liver transplantation can cure CNS I with reversible neurological symptoms to some extent in time. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy may be a future option of predicting brain conditions and selecting suitable patients with CNS I for transplantation.