The procedure is the only cure for end-stage liver disease or liver failure, which can be fatal.
Liver transplants are expensive and carry significant risks, and healthcare providers recommend them only as a last resort.
Among the most common reasons for a liver transplant are:
Who Is Not a Good Candidate?
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The MELD score will use information from blood tests to calculate how ill you are.
This matters because, for some, it may be years before a liver transplant becomes necessary.
This allows the sickest patients to receive an organ first.
This nonprofit organization works under contract for the federal government to match and allocate organs.
When you are placed on the waiting list, that is to receive a deceased donor’s liver only.
Living donors are almost always people you know and/or are related to.
A segment of the liver is removed.
Within a few months, it is back to normal size in a healthy donor.
Body size is also taken into account.
Infection Screening
Donors are screened for hepatitis and HIV.
While rare, it is possible to contract an infectious disease through a transplanted organ.
BMI is a dated, flawed measure.
It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age.
Domino Liver Transplant
Another, less common key in of living-donor transplant is called adomino liver transplant.
If you are the recipient of a domino transplant, you will be monitored for signs of the condition.
You should keep a packed hospital bag handy and make arrangements for transportation to the transplant center in advance.
check that the transplant team knows how to reach you at all times.
Your vital signsheart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturationwill also be assessed.
Then the surgeon will begin the procedure by making a large abdominal incision that exposes your liver.
For this reason, a full-size incision is used, rather than minimally invasive techniques.
The surgery takes around 10 hours to complete.
Approximately 80% of people who undergo a liver transplant live for at least five years.
In 2017, failure of the new liver occurred in 7% to 9% of cases.
Survival rates among liver transplant recipients also vary among U.S. transplant centers.
Details are provided by theScientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.
Numerous types ofsupport groupsexist for transplant patients, both online and in-person.
Setting realistic goals and expectations for yourself is also important.
In general, protein should come from lean meats, fish, eggs, beans, and nuts.
Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are necessary as well.
You will need to cut out alcohol entirely, as alcohol is a major cause of liver damage.
Your transplant team will likely refer you to a physical therapist to help with this.
Bicycling and swimming are other options for low-impact cardio activities.
After that, it’s a good idea to strength train on a regular basis.
Never begin an exercise program without your practitioner’s OK.
If you experience pain or any discomfort while working out, call your healthcare provider immediately.
American Liver Foundation.Liver Transplantation.
United Organ Sharing web link (UNOS).
Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.OPTN/SRTR 2018 Annual Data Report: Liver.
Liver Transplant.Facts at a Glance.
Coelho, JC, et al.Biliary Complications After Liver Transplantation.Arq Bras Cir Dig.
2017 Apr-Jun; 30(2): 127131. doi:10.1590/0102-6720201700020011
American Liver Foundation.The Progression of Liver Disease.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Disease.Liver Disease.
