Fontan-associated liver disease: the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork in its management

The Fontan operation, which directly connects the superior and inferior vena cava to the pulmonary artery, is a palliative surgery for children with a functional or anatomic single ventricle. This procedure leads to hemodynamic changes (Fontan circulation) in patients, who tend to develop congestive...

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Main Authors: Tomoya Tsuchihashi, Yuki Cho, Daisuke Tokuhara
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2024.1354857/full
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author Tomoya Tsuchihashi
Yuki Cho
Daisuke Tokuhara
Daisuke Tokuhara
author_facet Tomoya Tsuchihashi
Yuki Cho
Daisuke Tokuhara
Daisuke Tokuhara
author_sort Tomoya Tsuchihashi
collection DOAJ
description The Fontan operation, which directly connects the superior and inferior vena cava to the pulmonary artery, is a palliative surgery for children with a functional or anatomic single ventricle. This procedure leads to hemodynamic changes (Fontan circulation) in patients, who tend to develop congestive hepatic fibrosis characterized by sinusoidal fibrosis and dilatation beginning approximately 10 years after the procedure. In addition, in the context of severe fibrosis and cirrhosis, hepato-gastrointestinal complications including hepatocellular carcinoma, focal nodular hyperplasia, and portal hypertension can arise. Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD) encompasses the broad spectrum of liver alterations secondary to postoperative hemodynamic changes, and the effective management of FALD requires contributions from specialists in hepatology, gastroenterology, surgery, radiology, histopathology, and pediatric and adult cardiology. In this article, we outline the pathogenesis of FALD and discuss the importance of a multidisciplinary collaborative approach to its management.
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spelling doaj-art-b10e1f82d8ac410e861a3e09fc5f1c4c2025-08-20T01:52:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2024-11-011110.3389/fmed.2024.13548571354857Fontan-associated liver disease: the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork in its managementTomoya Tsuchihashi0Yuki Cho1Daisuke Tokuhara2Daisuke Tokuhara3Department of Pediatrics, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanDepartment of Pediatrics, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanDepartment of Pediatrics, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, JapanDepartment of Pediatrics, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, JapanThe Fontan operation, which directly connects the superior and inferior vena cava to the pulmonary artery, is a palliative surgery for children with a functional or anatomic single ventricle. This procedure leads to hemodynamic changes (Fontan circulation) in patients, who tend to develop congestive hepatic fibrosis characterized by sinusoidal fibrosis and dilatation beginning approximately 10 years after the procedure. In addition, in the context of severe fibrosis and cirrhosis, hepato-gastrointestinal complications including hepatocellular carcinoma, focal nodular hyperplasia, and portal hypertension can arise. Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD) encompasses the broad spectrum of liver alterations secondary to postoperative hemodynamic changes, and the effective management of FALD requires contributions from specialists in hepatology, gastroenterology, surgery, radiology, histopathology, and pediatric and adult cardiology. In this article, we outline the pathogenesis of FALD and discuss the importance of a multidisciplinary collaborative approach to its management.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2024.1354857/fullFontan procedureFontan-associated liver diseaseliver fibrosishepatocellular carcinomagastroesophageal varixprotein-losing enteropathy
spellingShingle Tomoya Tsuchihashi
Yuki Cho
Daisuke Tokuhara
Daisuke Tokuhara
Fontan-associated liver disease: the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork in its management
Frontiers in Medicine
Fontan procedure
Fontan-associated liver disease
liver fibrosis
hepatocellular carcinoma
gastroesophageal varix
protein-losing enteropathy
title Fontan-associated liver disease: the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork in its management
title_full Fontan-associated liver disease: the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork in its management
title_fullStr Fontan-associated liver disease: the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork in its management
title_full_unstemmed Fontan-associated liver disease: the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork in its management
title_short Fontan-associated liver disease: the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork in its management
title_sort fontan associated liver disease the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork in its management
topic Fontan procedure
Fontan-associated liver disease
liver fibrosis
hepatocellular carcinoma
gastroesophageal varix
protein-losing enteropathy
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2024.1354857/full
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AT daisuketokuhara fontanassociatedliverdiseasetheimportanceofmultidisciplinaryteamworkinitsmanagement
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