You’ll find all the health services you need for your child’s liver at University Health in San Antonio. Our experts work together to provide the best treatment for your child’s condition. Whether that’s medication, surgery or another option, you can trust us for compassionate care.
Evaluation & Diagnosis
At your first appointment, we’ll review your child’s health history, including lab results. We might order blood work, imaging or other tests, such as:
- Blood tests
- CT scan
- Doppler ultrasound
- EGD (upper endoscopy)
- Endoscopy
- Liver biopsy
- MRI
- Ultrasound
Conditions We Treat
Rely on our expertise and support if your child receives a diagnosis of:
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency – Protein buildup in the liver
- Biliary atresia – Blockage or absence of bile ducts, leading to bile buildup and liver damage in infants
- Cholestasis – Lack of bile flow
- Cirrhosis – Liver scar tissue
- Congenital liver disorders – Problems present at birth
- Galactosemia – Body’s inability to process galactose (a sugar), causing liver damage
- Hepatitis – Liver inflammation due to viral infections or an autoimmune condition
- Liver failure – Condition in which the liver stops working either suddenly or over time
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) – Fat buildup in the liver not due to alcohol, but often linked to obesity
- Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) – Group of genetic disorders causing bile buildup in the liver, leading to liver damage
Nonsurgical Treatment Options
Pediatric liver specialists, gastroenterologists and dietitians work together to plan your child’s treatment. Whenever possible, it starts with nonsurgical options that have a lower risk of side effects than surgery.
Medications
Medicines are often the first treatment for a liver condition. They may reduce swelling, fight infections or help bile flow better. We’ll make regular appointments with you to ensure the medicine keeps working well.
Dietary Changes
Your child might need to change their diet to help their liver work better. A doctor or dietitian may suggest eating less fat or taking vitamins if the liver has trouble absorbing nutrients. We’ll work with your family to make a healthy eating plan that suits your child’s tastes and your budget.
Phototherapy
If your baby or child has jaundice (yellow skin), phototherapy can help. This treatment uses a special light to break down bilirubin in the blood. Your child sits under this light to help their liver process bilirubin better. Then, your child’s skin tone returns to normal.
Liver Surgery
Sometimes, surgery is the best treatment option. It can fix problems like blocked bile ducts or remove damaged parts of the liver. Your surgeon will use the smallest possible incision or no incisions. That means a quicker, easier recovery for your child.
Endoscopic Procedures
Endoscopy uses a thin tube with a light and camera to help a surgeon treat your child’s liver without an incision. The surgeon can clear blockages in bile ducts or place stents to help bile flow. Endoscopic treatments don’t cause scars and are generally safer than surgery that uses an incision.
Biliary Drainage
If bile can't flow from the liver, biliary drainage can help. A doctor places a small tube or stent in the bile ducts to allow the bile to flow properly. This helps reduce pressure and prevent damage to the liver. It manages symptoms until doctors can provide a more permanent solution.
Kasai Procedure
The Kasai procedure treats infants with biliary atresia, or bile buildup, due to blocked or missing bile ducts. The surgeon connects part of the small intestine to the liver to allow bile to drain. This helps the liver work better, but your child may still need a transplant later.
Liver Transplant Program
If your child needs a transplant, they’ll be in good hands at University Health. Blue Cross Blue Shield recognizes our hospital as a Blue Distinction Center for pediatric liver transplants. That means your family can expect treatment expertise, quality care and better overall patient results. We’re the only program in South Texas with this distinction.
We’re also the region’s only program that transplants livers from living donors. Your child may get a transplant faster than if they had to wait for a liver from a deceased donor.
