A liver transplant is a surgery that removes a liver which no longer functions properly and replaces it with a healthy one from a donor. Your liver is the largest internal organ in your body, playing a very important role in your life. Its functions involve:
If you are with liver failure, a liver transplant can save your life.
According to statistics, about 7,100 liver transplants were performed in the United States in 2015. Among these, almost 600 patients are 17 years old or younger.
A liver transplant is a treatment option for people with liver failure and for some people with liver cancer. Liver failure may happen quickly (acute liver failure) or over a longer period of time (chronic liver failure). A liver transplant can treat both of them, but it is more often used to treat chronic liver failure.
A number of conditions may lead to chronic liver failure, among which cirrhosis is the most frequently cited reason for a liver transplant.
Conditions that may result in cirrhosis requiring a liver transplant involve:
Besides, liver transplant is also used to treat certain cancers originating in the liver.
Not only does liver transplant carry a risk of complications itself, but also the drugs used to prevent rejection of the donor’s liver have side effects.
The surgery may lead to complications such as:
Furthermore, liver disease may recur in the transplanted liver.
Anti-rejection medication may cause many side effects, including:
These medicines also increase your risk of infection, for they work by suppressing your immune system.
If your doctor recommends a liver transplant, you should get prepared by choosing a transplant center and completing the evaluation.
Choosing a transplant center
When you are considering transplants, you may want to:
Evaluation
Evaluation should be done to determine whether you:
You may need to undergo the following tests, procedures, and consultations:
After these, the transplant center’s selection committee will make a decision on whether you are able to have a transplant and whether a liver transplant is best for you. If you are selected, you will be placed on the liver transplant waiting list.
After the liver transplant, you can expect to:
Generally, about 70 in every 100 people who undergo a liver transplant can live for at least five years. However, whether the surgery will be successful and how long you can survive after it depends on your own situation.
Keyword: liver transplant.
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