Liver transplant
Definition
Liver transplant is surgery to replace a diseased liver with a healthy liver.
Alternative Names
Hepatic transplant; Transplant - liver
Description
Liver transplants have become common operations worldwide.
A healthy liver is usually obtained from a donor who has recently died, but has not had liver injury. The donor liver is transported in a cooled salt-water (saline) solution that preserves the organ for up to 8 hours. This allows the necessary tests to match the donor with the recipient.
The diseased liver is removed through a surgical cut in the upper abdomen. The donor liver is put in place and attached to the patient's blood vessels and bile ducts. The operation may take up to 12 hours and requires that the patient receive a large amount of blood through a transfusion.
In some cases, a living donor may donate a section of liver for transplant to a family member or friend. This poses some risk to the donor because of the nature of the operation. However, the liver can regrow itself to some extent. Both people usually end up with fully functioning livers after a successful transplant.
Risks
Risks for any anesthesia are:
- Problems breathing
- Reactions to medications
Risks for any surgery are:
- Bleeding
- Infection
Liver transplants carry major risks. There is an increased risk of infection because the patient must take medications that suppress the immune system to prevent transplant rejection. Call your doctor if your condition worsens or you have any of these signs of infection:
Reviewed By: Christian Stone, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
