What is a liver transplant?
Tags: liver, transplantA liver transplant is a surgical procedure performed to replace a diseased liver with a healthy liver from another person. The liver may come from a deceased organ donor or from a living donor. Family members or individuals who are unrelated but make a good match may be able to donate a portion of their liver. This type of transplant is called a living transplant. Individuals who donate a portion of their liver can live healthy lives with the remaining liver.
A liver transplant is surgery to replace a diseased liver with a healthy liver. When a patient receives a liver transplant, his or her entire liver is removed. It is then replaced by either a complete new liver or a portion of a healthy liver. (Once transplanted, a piece of a healthy liver can grow into a normal-size liver.) In most cases, the new liver or liver tissue comes from a deceased donor. It is becoming more common, however, for patients to receive liver tissue from a living donor, who may be a family member. In this case, the transplant surgeon removes part of the donor’s liver and uses it to replace the patient’s liver. • In 2005, about 6,500 liver transplants were performed in the United States. • The number of liver transplants performed per year has been increasing steadily for more than 15 years. When is a liver transplant needed? Liver transplantation is needed for patients who are likely to die because of liver failure. Many diseases can cause liver failure. The most c
A liver transplant is an operation performed to replace a diseased liver with a healthy one from another person. An entire liver may be transplanted, or just a section. The liver may come from an organ donor, or from a family member who is willing to donate a part of his/her liver and is a suitable candidate to donate. Why is a liver transplant recommended? A liver transplant is recommended for individuals who have serious liver dysfunction and will not be able to live without having the liver replaced. The most common liver disease for which transplants are done is cirrhosis. Other diseases may include the following: • acute hepatic necrosis • biliary atresia • metabolic disease • liver cancers • autoimmune hepatitis Where do transplanted organs come from? The majority of livers that are transplanted come from organ donors who have died. These organ donors are adults or children who have become critically ill (often due to an accidental injury) and have died as a result of their illne
A liver transplant is a surgical procedure in which a liver is removed from a donor and placed into someone else’s body. Typically, the livers used in liver transplants come from people who have died and donated their organs. It is also possible to transplant part of a liver from a living person, as sections of the liver are capable of regrowing, a trait which makes the liver a rather unique organ. The survival rate for patients after liver transplant is about 75% over five years, and 60% over 15 years. This medical procedure is used to replace a failing or severely damaged liver. Most commonly, liver transplants are used for patients who have developed severe cirrhosis as a result of chronic infection or lifestyle. Liver cancer, hemochromatosis, and diseases which affect the bile ducts can also lead to a need for a liver transplant. Once the need for a transplant is identified, the patient is placed on a waiting list for donor livers, and he or she undergoes periodic testing to determ
A liver transplant is surgery to replace a diseased liver with a healthy liver. When a patient receives a liver transplant, his or her entire liver is removed. It is then replaced by either a complete new liver or a portion of a healthy liver. (Once transplanted, a piece of a healthy liver can grow into a normal-size liver.) In most cases, the new liver or liver tissue comes from a deceased donor. It is becoming more common, however, for patients to receive liver tissue from a living donor, who may be a family member. In this case, the transplant surgeon removes part of the donor’s liver and uses it to replace the patient’s liver.
