Nutritional Support Using High Medium-chain Triglyceride Formula for Infants Under 3 Months With Biliary Atresia After Kasai Surgery

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to study infants with biliary atresia, a serious liver condition that often leads to liver failure and is a common cause for infant liver transplantation. Malnutrition is a frequent complication for these children, especially in the first year, causing reduced muscle mass, weaker bones, low fat reserves, and vitamin deficiencies. The study focuses on improving nutritional care after the Kasai operation, which is a surgery performed to treat biliary atresia, to help improve growth and health outcomes in these infants. Infants up to 3 months old who have had the Kasai surgery and can take nutrition by mouth or tube will receive a high medium-chain triglyceride MCT formula combined with breast milk or regular formula if breast milk is insufficient. The MCT formula powder makes up at least 50% of their nutrition, with recommended energy intake set at 100-130% of dietary reference intakes. This nutritional support is provided following the surgery to investigate its effects on growth and nutritional status. Participants will be monitored at multiple time points after surgery, including 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year, with measurements of body weight, length, head circumference, vitamin and trace element levels, liver function tests, and other blood tests. Researchers will track growth scores and biochemical markers to assess the nutritional impact of the high MCT formula. This observational study involves 300 hospitalized infants and includes education, intervention, and follow-up to standardize nutrition assessment and care.

High Medium-chain Triglyceride Nutritional Support in Infants With Biliary Atresia