Pediatric hepatobiliary and portal system surgery clinic

Liver and biliary tract diseases in infants, children, and adolescents

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The hepatobiliary clinic at HUDERF is dedicated to managing rare and complex conditions affecting the liver and bile ducts in children. Below are the main conditions for which our expertise can be sought:

  • Biliary atresia: This condition prevents bile from flowing properly, leading to persistent jaundice in newborns. Early diagnosis can help avoid severe complications, such as bleeding, and allow for a Kasai procedure to be performed.
  • Biliary tract malformations: These anomalies can cause cysts (known as choledochal cysts) that require surgical intervention to restore normal function.
  • Liver tumors in children: Tumors such as hepatoblastoma often require a combination of chemotherapy and surgery to remove the tumor.
  • Liver trauma: After a significant injury, intensive care management and close surgical monitoring are essential.
  • Portal hypertension: This issue, caused by impaired blood flow through the liver, can lead to serious complications. A thorough evaluation is necessary to determine if surgery is required to restore normal blood circulation.

Health Information Sheet

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Professor Raymond Reding, Surgeon

A trained pediatric surgeon, Professor Reding has specialized for many years in pediatric hepatobiliary surgery, including surgery for portal hypertension. His expertise in these conditions is recognized both nationally and internationally.

%20Secretariat-chirped [dot] huderf [at] hubruxelles [dot] be (Send an Email)

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Professeur Víola Weeda, chirurgienne

Professor Víola Weeda, Surgeon

Professor Víola Weeda, a pediatric surgeon specializing in rare liver and biliary diseases, plays a key role in the management and development of complex conditions at HUDERF’s hepatobiliary clinic. Her areas of expertise include hepatoblastoma, pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma, and biliary atresia.

With a doctoral thesis on pediatric liver tumors completed at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York), Professor Weeda is actively involved in international initiatives aimed at improving therapeutic approaches for these rare conditions.

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A Dedicated Team of Specialists Committed to Your Health

The management of pediatric hepatobiliary and portal system conditions requires a truly multidisciplinary approach to ensure accurate diagnosis and optimal surgical care.

  • Pr Raymond REDING
  • Pr Víola WEEDA 
  • Dr Pierre LINGIER
  • Pr Kalliroy KOTILEA

Surgery Department

 

  • The diagnosis relies on collaboration between the referring pediatrician, gastroenterologists, radiologists, and pathologists. Therapeutic and surgical management involves surgeons, anesthetists, intensivists, and radiologists. Post-operative follow-up is jointly provided by the referring pediatrician, gastroenterologists, and surgeons.
     
  • Secretary: Christine K. Voumadji
     
  • Phone: +32 2 477 31 97
  • My baby is still yellow after leaving the maternity ward: should I be worried?

    Jaundice in newborns is often harmless. However, you should consult a doctor if the jaundice persists beyond 15 days of life or if it is accompanied by pale stools and dark urine.

     

  • We noticed a hard lump in our child’s abdomen: what should we do?

    The presence of an intra-abdominal tumor cannot be ruled out. The discovery of an abdominal mass is often incidental and usually occurs without associated symptoms. It may be a benign or malignant tumor. A consultation with your pediatrician or a specialized center is required without delay.

  • Following an accident, my child has a liver injury: is it serious?

    Various types of accidents can cause traumatic liver injuries, such as car accidents, bicycle or scooter accidents, falls, and more. Even in the absence of visible marks on the abdomen, damage to an intra-abdominal organ cannot be ruled out. In the case of significant trauma, the child must be taken promptly to a pediatric emergency department.

  • My child has vomited blood: should I be worried? What should I do?

    Vomiting blood is always a serious sign. This bleeding may be caused by esophageal inflammation, a gastric ulcer, or bleeding from esophageal varices (secondary to portal hypertension). The child should be taken promptly to a pediatric emergency department.

  • My child has been diagnosed with hepatoblastoma. What does the future hold?

    Hepatoblastoma is a malignant liver tumor that primarily affects children between 6 months and 3 years of age. The child must be referred to a pediatric hematology-oncology department. Treatment involves chemotherapy followed by surgery to completely remove the tumor. With early diagnosis and appropriate care, the survival prognosis exceeds an 80% cure rate.

  • My child needs to undergo a Kasai procedure. What does it involve?

    The Kasai procedure is performed on infants with biliary atresia. The surgery involves creating a drainage for the bile ducts using a segment of the intestine (a Y-loop) to restore bile flow and correct jaundice.

  • My child has a choledochal cyst that was discovered incidentally. Does it need to be operated on?

    A choledochal cyst is a biliary tract malformation that can remain asymptomatic for many years. When diagnosed, and even in the absence of symptoms, this condition requires surgical intervention (non-urgent) to correct the malformation and ensure proper bile flow to the intestine.

  • My child needs to undergo a portal shunt procedure. What does it involve?

    In cases of portal hypertension due to obstruction of the portal vein at the entrance to the liver, a portal shunt aims to reduce the excess pressure in the venous system upstream of the blockage. There are two types of surgical shunts: the meso-Rex shunt (a venous bypass that restores portal venous flow to the liver) and the meso-caval shunt (a venous bypass that redirects blood from the portal vein to the vena cava, bypassing the liver).

  • My child has suffered a liver injury. Will surgery be required?

    Most liver injuries are treated conservatively, meaning that as long as there is no active bleeding in the abdomen, the child is simply monitored in the hospital (initially in the pediatric intensive care unit, then in a general ward), kept at rest, and regularly re-evaluated with ultrasound. In the vast majority of cases, liver trauma heals spontaneously without leaving lasting effects within 3 to 6 months after the injury.

  • My child has undergone a hepatectomy. Will the liver regenerate?

    Even though the surgeon may sometimes need to remove 50 to 70% of the liver volume to remove a tumor, the liver has the remarkable ability to regenerate. It literally "grows back" to restore almost its original volume within 4 to 6 weeks following the surgery