Pediatric liver transplantation and the family: literature review of the last decade

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to review the Health Sciences literature from the previous decade regarding experiences from families with children who have undergone liver transplantation. It is a bibliographic review in which studies were selected on the LILACS and MEDLINE databases and by searching the Pediatric Transplantation journal using the keywords child, transplantation and family. The thirty-nine texts selected were analyzed and grouped into five distinct categories: the experience of the child, the psychosocial impact of transplantation in the family, the quality of life of children and families, family communication, and the stages of the transplantation experience. We point out the need to expand the theoretical knowledge on this subject by developing new research studies to create and test nursing interventions specific to these families.