Liver Transplantation

Liver Transplant

A procedure that replaces a patient’s failing liver with a healthy one
For patients with severe liver disease that isn’t helped by any other methods
The procedure can take 12 hours or longer Full recovery can take several months
involves liver transplant program

For someone who has developed a serious liver disease, a liver transplant or other surgery may be the best option. The liver is the largest internal organ. It makes nearly all the proteins, many of the fats, and several hormones that keep us alive and healthy. It is the only solid organ that has the ability to regenerate.

Who should have liver surgery?

Liver surgery, including liver transplant, may be the best—and is sometimes the only— treatment for someone who has liver cancer.

Other liver conditions that may be helped by liver transplant or other liver surgeries include:

Hepatitis and cirrhosis
Bacterial and parasitic infections
Gaucher disease
Liver cysts
Benign liver masses
Portal hypertension, a common complication of cirrhosis
Wilson disease

What are the different types of liver surgery?

Askliver provides organ transplants using organs from both deceased and living donors. Our comprehensive transplant program offers the full array of treatments and support services, including genetic testing, for adults and children with all types of liver disease.

askliver surgeons are skilled in such cutting-edge treatments as split-liver transplants, which divide a portion of a donor’s liver divided between two recipients. Our Pediatric Liver Transplant Program works with such innovative treatments as reduced liver transplants, in which an infant or child receives a portion of an adult liver. Our specialists are sensitive to the special needs and unique medical complications that can come up among pediatric patients.

askliver services include:

Living donor liver transplant, in which care is provided for the recipient and lifelong follow-up for the donor
Deceased donor liver transplant
Treatment for liver cancer
Liver transplant for people with HIV
Pre- and post-transplant antiviral therapy to prevent or treat recurrent hepatitis C

How are living donor transplants different from deceased donor transplants?

In a deceased donor transplant, the liver comes from someone who has died suddenly. The donor is usually a person who was healthy when they were alive, and they or their family decided to donate their organs to help someone in need.

In a living donor transplant, the organ comes from a person who is alive and well, who may be a family member, a friend, or even a complete stranger. While a person only has one liver and would die without it, living donor transplants are possible because of the liver’s “regenerative” properties.

When a portion of a healthy liver is removed from a healthy living person’s body, what remains is left regrows within a few weeks. So a healthy person can donate a portion of their liver to someone with liver disease if it’s an appropriate match.

How does a patient get on the list for a liver transplant?

Nationally, more than 13,000 people are waiting for a liver to become available, and there are far from enough organs to meet the demand. Living donors expand the pool of available donations
Askliver transplant surgeons accept patients who call the askliver directly or whose doctors have recommended them for a transplant. If they find a patient is eligible for a transplant, they will add them to the national transplant waiting list.
The waiting list for a deceased donor prioritizes people who are the sickest. So the waiting time for a liver can be unpredictable. A living donor can save lives by reducing a wait that can last years down to weeks.
What is the experience of liver transplant surgery like for the patient?
A liver transplant is a complex operation that can take 12 hours or longer. Patients who’ve received a liver transplant typically spend five to 10 days in the hospital, and full recovery takes several months.
Liver transplant patients need to follow up on their surgery with regular checkups and blood tests to assess liver function and can expect to take medication for the rest of their lives.