Liver Transplantation

The liver is a vital organ involved in the removal of toxins from the body, protein synthesis, digestion, and other metabolic processes. It can be damaged or diseased by many congenital or acquired conditions. In advanced disease (e.g., cirrhosis or cancer), a number of potentially fatal medical sequelae may ensue. Transplantation is the only successful treatment for complete liver failure.

Survival after transplantation varies according to age, sex, year of transplant, and other factors such as:

• Etiology: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) either with or without cirrhosis, alcohol-related liver disease, Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), hepatitis C, and other causes
• For HCC: Histology of the cancer, plus the extent of micro- or macrovascular invasion
• Pre-transplant general health: Functional status and need for dialysis or ventilator support
• Pre-transplant liver disease symptoms: Presence of ascites, esophageal varices, or hepatic encephalopathy
• Donor characteristics: Age, whether related to the recipient
• Presence of other medical conditions: Diabetes, hepatitis C

We have recently published several peer-reviewed medical articles on this topic. These are available on the articles page.