What is Liver Transplant?

General
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A liver transplant is a surgical procedure to replace a diseased or injured liver with a healthy one from another person. It is a life-saving treatment for people with end-stage liver disease or acute liver failure and can be performed using a whole liver from a deceased donor or a portion of a liver from a living donor. The donor’s remaining liver and the recipient’s new liver will both grow to normal size over time.

Why a liver transplant may be needed

  • End-stage liver disease:

    This includes conditions like cirrhosis from various causes, such as alcoholic liver disease, fatty liver disease, or chronic hepatitis C.

  • Acute liver failure:

    This can happen suddenly, often due to a medication overdose, and may require an urgent transplant.

  • Liver cancer:

    A transplant may be an option for certain types of liver cancer when other treatments aren’t effective.

  • Rare disorders:

    Some rare conditions, like urea cycle disorders, may also necessitate a transplant.

How the procedure works

  • Donor:

    A healthy liver is obtained from either a deceased donor or a living donor who can donate part of their liver.

  • Surgery:

    The recipient’s diseased liver is surgically removed and replaced with the new one, which is connected to the blood vessels and bile ducts.

  • Living donors:

    Part of a living person’s liver can be transplanted. The donor’s liver will regenerate, and the recipient’s new liver will also grow to full size in a few months.

What to expect after the transplant

  • Hospital stay:

    After surgery, patients are usually in the intensive care unit for a few days before moving to a transplant unit. The average hospital stay is around 9 days.

  • Recovery:

    A support person is often needed at home for about a month, and frequent follow-up appointments and blood tests are necessary to monitor the liver’s recovery and check the levels of anti-rejection medications.

  • Medications:

    Recipients will need to take powerful immunosuppressant medicines to prevent their body from rejecting the new liver, which can have other serious medical side effects.

  • Is there way to expedite a transplant?

  • What is ideal liver?

MBH/AB

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A liver transplant can be expedited through living donation or urgent listing, and the ideal liver is healthy, well-matched in size and blood type, and free of disease or fat.

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To expedite a transplant, one effective method is the “green corridor” system, where traffic management ensures a fast, uninterrupted route for the organ transport vehicle, drastically reducing travel time and increasing the chances of successful transplantation.

https://www.donatelife.org.in/green-corridor-system/

An ideal liver for transplantation typically is from a

  • Healthy donor, preferably aged 18–35 years.
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) under 25–30 kg/m².
  • No significant comorbidities or chronic illnesses.
  • Normal liver function and free from liver diseases.
  • Minimal fat in the liver (low steatosis).No anatomical abnormalities in the liver’s structure.
  • Adequate graft-to-recipient weight ratio (GRWR) of at least 0.8% for optimal function.
  • Sufficient liver volume left for donor recovery if living donor transplant is performed.