Liver Transplant

 

What is a Liver Transplant?

Liver transplantation is the surgical removal of an entire nonfunctioning liver or a liver which has developed a tumor and replacing it with a healthy one. In liver transplantation, the organ is obtained from a brain-dead cadaver donor or a living donor from which a certain part of the liver is removed.

Liver Transplant from a Living Donor

The process is carried out by excising a part of the liver of a completely healthy person over the age of 18 who voluntarily by their own free will makes the donation. In order to perform the surgery, the recipient and donor patients must be 4th degree blood relatives or in-laws whereas unrelated patients need approval from the Ethics Committee of the Provincial Directorate of Health.

Cadaver Donor Liver Transplant

The transplant is done upon donation of a brain-dead person’s organs by their family.

For Which Diseases is Liver     Transplantation Performed?

Acute Liver Failure

A patient who has no previously known liver disease who suddenly presents with jaundice, blurred consciousness, or bleeding tendency.

Most Common Causes

• Viruses
• Medications
• Chemicals
• Wild mushroom poisoning

Chronic Liver Disease

This disease profile develops over time in a patient with previously known liver disease as a result of the liver not being able to meet the body’s needs. Fluid accumulation (ascites) causing abdominal swelling in patients, potentially fatal esophageal hemorrhage (esophageal varices), and varying degrees of impaired consciousness (hepatic encephalopathy) may be seen in patients.

Most Common Causes

• Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infection
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver
• Long-term and excessive use of alcohol
• Diseases causing liver cysts
• Blockages in liver veins
• Metabolic disease due to defective liver enzyme synthesis
• Antitrypsin deficiency
• Glycogen storage disease
• Wilson’s disease
• Hemochromatosis
• Disease profiles in which poor bile flow to bowels is present
• Biliary atresia
• Primary-secondary biliary cirrhosis
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Idiopathic liver dysfunction

Liver Cancers

• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Neuroendocrine tumors

Ineligible Donors

• Those with ABO incompatibility
• Those under the age of 18
• Those who are not voluntary donors
• Obese people
• Those with psychiatric problems
• Those with alcoholism and drug addiction
• Those diagnosed with cancer
• Chronic hepatitis patients
• AIDS patients
• Those with cardiac and lung disease
• Diabetics
• Those with neurological diseases
• Those with bleeding disorder
• Those with fatty liver
• Those with insufficient liver volume
• Pregnant women