Liver transplant

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Liver transplant

Alternate Names: Hepatic transplant; Transplant - liver

Description:

Liver transplants are new, but they are becoming an accepted transplant operation in the U.S. (over 1,000 cases per year). The operation is technically more difficult than a heart transplant or kidney transplant.

The healthy liver is obtained from a donor who has recently died but has not suffered liver injury. The healthy liver is transported in a cooled saline solution that preserves the organ for up to 8 hours, thus permitting the necessary analyses to determine blood and tissue donor-recipient matching.

The diseased liver is removed through an incision made in the upper abdomen. The new liver is put in place and attached to the patient’s blood vessels and bile ducts. The operation can take up to 12 hours to complete and requires large volumes of blood transfusions.

Indications: A liver transplant may be recommended for:

liver damage not due to alcoholism (cirrhosis or primary biliary cirrhosis)
long-term (chronic) active infection (hepatitis)
liver (hepatic) vein clot (thrombosis)
birth defects of the liver or bile ducts (biliary atresia)
metabolic disorders associated with liver failure (e.g., Wilson's disease)

Liver transplant surgery is not recommended for patients who have:

heart, lung, or kidney disease
insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)
other life-threatening diseases

What To Expect After: Liver transplants can save the lives of people who might otherwise die. Fifty percent of liver transplants in adults and 60% of liver transplants in children are alive two years after the operation. The major problems with any transplant is:

finding a healthy organ
graft rejection
life-long need to take Immunosuppressive drugs, which weaken the body's ability to fight infections
cost

The patient is encouraged to resume normal activities as soon as possible.

Convalescence: The recovery period averages 12 weeks. Move legs often to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Resume normal activity as soon as possible after consulting with your physician.

Risks: Risks for any anesthesia are:

reactions to medications
problems breathing

Risks for any surgery are:

bleeding
infection

Liver transplants carry major risks. There is an increased risk of infection because of the immunosuppressive medications that must be taken to prevent transplant rejection. Call your doctor if there are signs of infection (redness, drainage, fever, swelling, tenderness, jaundice, diarrhea) or if the condition worsens.

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