Our paediatric liver transplant programme at National University Centre for Organ Transplantation (NUCOT) involves the evaluation and management of children with end-stage liver disease prior to transplantation, as well as their post-operative care following transplantation. NUCOT is the National Referral Centre for children up to the age of 18 years in need of a liver transplant for end-stage or metabolic liver disease. We are Singapore's leading and only transplant centre that performs paedatric liver transplants, with outcomes comparable to international benchmarks.
We also recognise the importance of good transition of our paediatric patients to adult care. We run the Adolescent and Young Adult Liver Transplant Transition Clinic where our paediatric liver transplant recipients go through several clinic sessions to prepare themselves and their parents for a smooth transition to adult care.
Find out more about liver failure and its treatments, frequently asked questions about liver transplant and donating your liver here.
Children are cared for by a multidisciplinary paediatric liver transplant team consisting of:
Directors
Professor Yap Hui Kim
Medical Director and Emeritus Consultant
Adj A/Prof Vidyadhar Mali
Surgical Director and Senior Consultant
Professor Quak Seng Hock
Emeritus Consultant
Associate Professor Marion Aw
Senior Consultant
Dr S Venkatesh Karthik
Senior Consultant
Dr Dale Lincoln Loh
Senior Consultant
Adj A/Prof Vidyadhar Mali
Senior Consultant
Dr Nyo Yoke Lin
Senior Consultant
Dr Michelle Tan
Senior Consultant
Dr James Huang
Consultant
Priscilla Wee
Principal Transplant Coordinator
Diana Teh
Senior Transplant Coordinator
Aye Su Mon
Transplant Coordinator
Brenda Kok
Transplant Coordinator
To date, NUCOT has performed more than 400 successful adult and paediatric living and deceased donor liver transplantations. We continue to provide post-transplant care and medical follow-ups at our Specialist Outpatient Clinic. We perform most of the paediatric transplants, and on average about 70% of the total number of liver transplants (both living and deceased donor liver transplants) in Singapore annually.
In 2020, NUCOT performed 75% of the total liver transplants in Singapore (both living and deceased donor liver transplants).1
NUCOT is also a national referral centre for Singapore's deceased liver donations and transplants. In 2020, we performed 63.6% of the total number of deceased donor liver transplants in Singapore.1
1 Based on 2020 annual report from the Ministry of Health, National Organ Transplant Unit.
The first paediatric liver transplant in Singapore was performed in the National University Hospital in 1991. Since then, our post-transplant outcomes have been comparable to international benchmarks.
| Overall Graft Survival (1991 – 2021) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 3-years | 5-years | 10-years | |
| NUCOT (n=144) | 86.4% | 85.7% | 82.1% | 85.7% |
| US1 | 90.3% | 85.4% | 81.9% | 78.4% |
| Europe2 | 75.0% | 71.0% | 68.0% | 63.0% |
| Overall Patient Survival (1991 – 2021) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 3-years | 5-years | 10-years | |
| NUCOT (n=142) | 89.3% | 85.7% | 85.0% | 84.2% |
| US1 | 94.9% | 91.4% | 88.2% | 70.0% |
| Europe2 | 85.3% | 82.5% | 80.3% | 75.8% |
2 European Liver Transplant Registry
Since 1991, NUCOT has established several major paediatric liver transplant milestones over the years:
Click here for more news related to NUCOT.
The group provides moral support, encouragement and medical advice for patients stricken with liver diseases as well as their family members. It also promotes greater public understanding and awareness of organ donation.
For more information or to join this support group, please contact us here.
National University Centre for Organ Transplantation (NUCOT) provides pre and post-transplant patients with comprehensive, dedicated and individualised care. We also welcome potential living organ donors to get in touch with us.
Referrals to NUCOT
NUCOT takes in self-referrals and referrals from healthcare practitioners. Patients can do a self-referral by contacting our NUCOT clinic directly or have your primary physician refer you to us.
Click here for our NUCOT clinic's location, contact details and operating hours or to make an appointment with us.
