What is Omegaven?

Copied from ShortGut - Wiki

"Omegaven is saving the life of baby after baby with Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS) or Short Gut. It is an omega-3 based lipid solution made from fish oil. It has been used in 55 (and counting) pediatric short-gut patients by Dr. Mark Puder and Kathy Gura at Children's Hospital Boston. The currently unpublished data on the first 18 kids shows a complete normalization of liver function measures within a couple of months, with a 0% mortality rate. This compares to the extant data from hospitals around the country where patients experience progressively deteriorating liver function and mortality rates in the 37-90% range. The parents of patients on this treatment are convinced that this is the real deal -- a cure for TPN-associated Liver Disease.

• This does not mean that it will reverse all liver damage. It can help children: avoid liver damage, recover from liver damage that they have received from TPN, and in some cases it helps stabilize and improve the overall health of the patient so that when they do receive a transplant they recover that much faster.

One very important point about the treatment: It takes roughly a month or two before lab results show clear improvements, and in fact the labs tend to get worse before they get better but they generally follow this curve shape and level out at near zero after 6-8 weeks:

This can be unnerving, but it is  quite reliable and one just has to persevere.

Fortunately, positive effects on overall energy levels and general appearance and vigor seem to happen relatively quickly, so you have some indication that it is in fact doing something good."

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Article from the front page of the Wall St Journal, November 13, 2006:

• Different Rx: A Doctor's Push for Drug Pits Him Against Its Maker

Article from the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• Reversal of Parenteral Nutrition–Associated Liver Disease in Two Infants with Short Bowel Syndrome Using Parenteral Fish Oil: Implications for Future Management