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Liver Transplant

by Editorial Staff and Contributors
En Español (Spanish Version)
Definition
Reasons for Procedure
Possible Complications
What to Expect
Call Your Doctor

Definition

This is a surgery to replace a diseased or damaged liver with a liver from a donor who has died. In some cases, a portion of the liver of a living, related donor may be used.

Normal vs. Diseased Liver
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Reasons for Procedure

A liver transplant is done to treat a liver that is not working and cannot be treated. This may be caused by:

  • Cirrhosis
  • Hepatitis A (rare) , B, or C (will become less common since this is now curable)
  • Alcoholic liver disease
  • Primary biliary cirrhosis
  • Primary sclerosing cholangitis, which is a disease of the bile ducts
  • Sudden liver failure
  • Congenital defects such as biliary atresia
  • Liver tumors
  • Metabolic defects such as Wilson disease
  • Poisoning or drug-induced damage

Possible Complications

Problems from the procedure are rare, but all procedures have some risk. Your doctor will review potential problems, like:

  • Rejection of the transplanted liver
  • Bleeding
  • Infection
  • Damage to nearby organs
  • Bile-duct obstruction or bile leakage into the body
  • Complications from immunosuppressive drugs
  • Blood clots

Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

Be sure to discuss these risks with your doctor before the surgery.

What to Expect

Prior to Procedure

There is a shortage of donors. You may be on a transplant list for some time. You may need to carry a cell phone with you at all times. This is to allow the transplant team to reach you if a liver becomes available.

Your doctor will likely do the following:

Leading up to your surgery:

  • Talk to your doctor about your medications. You may be asked to stop taking some medications up to 1 week before the procedure.
  • Take medications as directed. Do not take over-the-counter medications without checking with your doctor.
  • The night before, eat a light meal. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight.
  • Arrange for someone to drive you home. Also, arrange for someone to help you at home.

Anesthesia

General anesthesia will be used. You will be asleep during the procedure.

Description of the Procedure

An incision shaped like a boomerang will be made on the upper part of the abdomen. The old liver will be removed. Portions of major blood vessels will be left in place. The new liver will be inserted and attached to the blood vessels and bile ducts. To help with bile drainage, a tube will also be inserted into the bile duct during surgery. The area will be closed with stitches.

Immediately After Procedure

You will be closely monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU) and will have the following devices:

  • Breathing tube until you can breathe on your own
  • IV fluids and medication
  • Bladder catheter to drain urine

How Long Will It Take?

Several hours

How Much Will It Hurt?

Anesthesia will prevent pain during surgery. Pain and discomfort after the procedure can be managed with medications.

Average Hospital Stay

This surgery is done in a hospital setting. The usual length of stay is several weeks. Your doctor may choose to keep you longer if you show signs of rejecting the new liver or have other problems.

Post-procedure Care

At the Hospital

While you are recovering at the hospital, you will:

  • Receive fluids and nutrition through an IV—You will slowly transition to eating.
  • Breathe deeply and cough 10-20 times every hour—This will help your lungs work better after surgery.
  • Take immunosuppressive drugs—You will need to take these for the rest of your life. These drugs reduce the chance that your body will reject the new liver. They also have potential side effects, like infection and cancer. Be sure to discuss these risks with your doctor.

At Home

When you return home, do the following to help ensure a smooth recovery:

  • Take proper care of the incision site. This will help to prevent an infection.
  • Work with a physical therapist. Exercises will help you to regain strength.
  • Monitor your temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and weight.
  • Follow a special diet. This diet will help to prevent water retention and to maintain a normal weight and blood pressure.
  • Take medications as advised by your doctor. This may include treatment for hepatitis C and immunization to prevent hepatitis B.

Recovery time varies. It depends, in part, on your health before the transplant.

Call Your Doctor

It is important for you to monitor your recovery after you leave the hospital. You will have frequent scheduled follow-ups.

Alert your doctor to any problems right away. If any of the following occur, call your doctor:

  • Signs of infection, including fever and chills—you are at increased risk for infection because of the immunosuppressive drugs
  • Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from the incision site
  • Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain
  • Severe nausea or vomiting
  • Black or tarry stools, constipation, or diarrhea that does not go away after two loose stools
  • You are unable to take your medications
  • Bruising
  • Red or rusty-brown urine
  • Any skin rash or sores in your mouth
  • Vaginal discharge in women
  • Pain, burning, urgency, frequency of urination, or persistent bleeding in the urine
  • Exposure to infections, such as mumps, measles, chickenpox or shingles
  • Headache, confusion, lightheadedness, or loss of consciousness
  • Unusual weakness
  • Illness that requires emergency room treatment or hospitalization

If you think you have an emergency, call for emergency medical services right away.

RESOURCES:

American Liver Foundation
http://www.liverfoundation.org

United Network for Organ Sharing
http://www.transplantliving.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Liver Foundation
http://www.liver.ca

Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca

REFERENCES:

Acute liver failure. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T900055/Acute-liver-failure#Misc1. Updated December 30, 2016. Accessed August 29, 2017.

Gee I, Alexander G. Liver transplantation for hepatitis C virus related liver disease. Postgrad Med J. 2005;81(962):765-771.

Jadlowiec C, Taner T. Liver transplantation: Current status and challenges. World J Gastroenterol. 2016 May 14;22(18):4438-45.

Liu CL, Fan ST. Adult-to-adult live-donor liver transplantation: the current status. J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg. 2006;13(2):110-116.

Liver transplant. American Liver Foundation website. Available at: http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/transplant. Accessed August 29, 2017

Mendizabal M, Silva M. Liver transplantation in acute liver failure: A challenging scenario. World J Gastroenterol. 2016 Jan 28;22(4):1523-31.

What I need to know about liver transplantation. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders website. Available at: http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/liver-disease/liver-transplant/Pages/facts.aspx. Updated March 2017. Accessed August 29, 2017.

Last reviewed September 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Michael Woods, MD, FAAP  Last Updated: 8/29/2017