Nutritional Care Experiences of Family Caregivers for Infants Who Underwent Liver Transplantation with Preoperative Sarcopenia: a Qualitative Study.

Sarcopenia significantly compromises outcomes in infants undergoing liver transplantation. Effective nutritional care, crucial for combating sarcopenia, is primarily managed by family caregivers. The aim of this study was to explore the real experiences and needs of family caregivers for infants who underwent liver transplantation with preoperative sarcopenia during the nutritional care process, and to provide a reference for formulating targeted intervention strategies for nutritional rehabilitation and catch-up growth. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Between June and September 2025, 15 family caregivers of infants who underwent liver transplantation with preoperative sarcopenia were purposively sampled from a liver transplantation center at a tertiary hospital in Hangzhou, China. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted twice per participant (one day before discharge and 2–3 weeks after discharge). The interview data were analyzed and summarized via content analysis. Three themes and seven subthemes were identified: (1) nutritional knowledge deficits and fragmented information sources (subthemes: cognitive blind spots regarding the nutrition-disease relationship, fragmented and non‑professional knowledge acquisition); (2) dualities of nutritional care: burden and growth (subthemes: emotional burden and financial burdens, synergistic support networks and positive growth); and (3) unmet needs: deficiencies in the nutritional support system (subthemes: lack of systematic nutritional course training, discontinuity in follow-up after discharge, insufficient nutritional assessment services). Family caregivers of infants who underwent liver transplantation with preoperative sarcopenia experience multifaceted strain that compromises nutritional care. Our findings underscore the critical need to address the interconnected gaps in knowledge, caregiver burden, and healthcare system support to promote catch-up growth and optimal development in this vulnerable population. Not applicable.