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What is a liver transplant?
A liver transplant is done when a diseased liver is surgically replaced with a donated human liver. This is often done for liver failure, cirrhosis, or cancer.
A liver transplant is also called a hepatic transplant.
Why does the liver need to be replaced?
The liver is a vital organ. It filters the blood, makes proteins needed to survive, helps with digestion and gives you energy. The liver is easily damaged by drugs and alcohol. Alcoholics often develop cirrhosis. The liver can also get damaged by infections causing hepatitis. Although it's not as common as lung or breast cancer, liver cancer can be a devastating disease.
If your liver stops working, you can't survive. A liver transplant becomes your only chance of living.
How is a liver transplant performed?
If you need a liver transplant, you're first put on a waiting list. There are more people waiting for new livers than there are available donor organs. It can take several years before you get an organ. Unfortunately, many people die waiting. The United Network for Organ Sharing directs where the donated organs go.
As you're waiting for a new liver, your doctor will order many blood tests and x-rays. If you drink alcohol, you'll have to quit.
Although most donated livers come from dead donors, some come from living donors. Healthy people can donate a section of their liver and live normal lives.
A liver transplant is a major operation. After you're put to sleep (under general anesthesia), your abdomen is opened up and your liver is taken out. Your new liver is put in place and the surgeons attach blood vessels and parts of the intestine to it.
Once they have finished, the surgeons close your abdomen and you go to the intensive care unit to recover. You'll have a large scar.
How long does the procedure take?
The operation takes many hours. If you've had any type of abdominal surgery in the past, it can take even longer. You will spend several weeks in the hospital recovering from the surgery.
What are the risks?
Like any other major surgery, there is always a risk for bleeding, infection and death with a liver transplant.
Your body may also reject the new organ. This means your body's immune system starts attacking the organ. The new liver may stop working and you could end up waiting for a replacement.
You'll be given many different types of medicines after a transplant, and each of them has side effects and risks. You need them to prevent rejection.
If you'll be having a liver transplant, it's very important to find a good liver center that has a record of doing many successful transplants.
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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