The recognized reference center is a close collaboration between the University Children’s Hospital Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich. The aim is to combine the clinical and scientific expertise of both institutions in order to provide patients with rare liver and biliary tract diseases with comprehensive diagnostics, individualized treatment at the highest medical level and an optimal transition from paediatric to adult medicine.
Our services include comprehensive diagnostic clarification using state-of-the-art procedures, including specialized laboratory tests, antibody diagnostics, high-resolution imaging and liver biopsies. If a genetic cause is suspected, further molecular genetic tests are carried out in close collaboration with the Institute of Medical Genetics at the University of Zurich.
We offer the full range of modern treatment options, including medicinal and interventional procedures, surgical interventions, individual nutritional advice and advice on lifestyle and preventive measures. Patients receive long-term, multidisciplinary care based on the latest scientific findings and international standards.
At our reference center, we treat the following rare liver and biliary tract diseases (non-exhaustive list), among others:
- Autoimmune liver diseases: Autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), IgG4-associated cholangiopathy (IAC)
- Genetic and metabolic liver diseases: Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, Alagille syndrome, benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis (BRIC), progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), Wilson’s disease, hereditary fructose intolerance, cystic fibrosis (CF), biliary atresia, Caroli syndrome
- Structural and vascular liver diseases: biliary malformations, Budd-Chiari syndrome, porto-sinusoidal vascular liver disease (PSVD), nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH), portosystemic malformations
- Rare liver tumors: Rare primary liver tumors (hepatocellular carcinomas, cholangiocellular carcinomas) and cystic liver diseases
- Rare acquired liver diseases: alveolar and cystic echinococcosis, hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection
- Rare liver diseases in pregnancy: intrahepatic pregnancy cholestasis (ICP), HELLP syndrome, acute fatty liver of pregnancy
For adult patients with advanced rare liver diseases, as part of the Zurich Transplant Center, we offer complete clarification, preparation and follow-up care for liver transplants in close cooperation with the Transplant and Visceral Surgery Department.
