LIVE DONOR
LIVER TRANSPLANT
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WHAT IS
LIVING DONOR LIVER TRANSPLANTATION?
Living donor transplantation involves the removal of a portion
of the donor's healthy liver for transplantation into the
recipient in need. This procedure is made possible by the
liver's unique ability to regenerate.
WHO CAN BE A
DONOR?
In order to be considered for living donation, the person
must be between the ages of 18 and 60 years old. Additionally,
the donor must be considered healthy, both medically and psychologically
and have a blood type that is compatible with the recipient's
blood type (see below):
| If the recipient's blood type IS: |
The donor's blood type MUST BE: |
AB
B
A
O |
A, B, AB, O
B,O
A,O
O |
WHO CANNOT
BE A DONOR?
People with the following factors:
- Active alcohol or substance abuse
- HIV positive
- Incompatible blood type
- Liver disease or hepatitis
- Morbid obesity
- Pregnant
- Significant pulmonary disease
- Others determined by transplant team
WHAT ARE THE
RISKS OF BEING A DONOR?
In general, undergoing any surgical procedure involves risk.
The most common problems associated with living donor surgery
include pain related to the surgery, bleeding and infection.
The main risks include: Pneumonia, blood clots to the lung,
deep vein thrombosis, side effects from general anesthesia
and infection. The risk of death from the surgery is estimated
to be between 1/100 and 1/500. The extensive preoperative
evaluation that is performed on the donor is done not only
to ascertain if they are candidates for donation, but also
to minimize the risks associated with surgery.
WHAT ARE THE
RISKS TO THE RECIPIENT?
The risks of living donation to the recipient are similar
to the risks of the conventional cadaveric transplant. These
include bleeding, infection and rejection. Bleeding and
bile duct complications are slightly more common after living
donor liver transplantation than after standard liver transplantation.
Overall the success for living donor liver transplantation
is similar to that of nonemergent cadaveric liver transplantation.
(About 90%).
WHAT HAPPENS
DURING DONOR SURGERY?
Depending on which part of the donor's liver is removed,
the incision is either straight up and down, or in the shape
of an inverted "T". Typically, the gallbladder
is removed. The donor's liver is carefully split into two
segments and one portion is removed for the recipient. The
surgeon then closes the incision either with self-absorbing
sutures or staples, which must be later removed during a
follow-up visit to the surgeon's office. The liver begins
to heal and regenerate itself, generally taking 6 to 8 weeks
for full regeneration.
WHAT HAPPENS
DURING DONOR RECOVERY AFTER SURGERY?
Typically, a donor remains in the hospital for four to seven
days after surgery. Every donor's recovery time is different
but typically, donors spend four weeks recuperating after
surgery. Individual recovery rate and the type of occupation
dictate how soon a donor can return to work, but the average
is three to six weeks after surgery.
WHO MAY CONSIDER
LIVING DONOR TRANSPLANTATION?
Any patients listed for a liver transplant should consider
living donor transplantation. It is the philosophy of the
transplant team that anyone listed for liver transplantation
may discuss this option with family members or close friends.
WHAT IF YOU
DECIDE NOT TO BECOME A DONOR?
The decision to become a living donor is a very important
personal decision that needs to be made without pressure
from the recipient, the recipient's family or friends. If
during the work-up process you decide not to pursue living
donation, you may simply stop the process. The recipient
will remain active on the waiting list. The recipient may
also find another donor.
HOW IS THE
SURGERY PAID FOR?
All of the donor's preoperative evaluation, surgery, hospitalization
and outpatient clinic visits will be billed to the recipient's
insurance. The donor will not be billed for any of this.
The only direct cost related to living donation may be for
medications, such as pain medications and antibiotics that
may be necessary after discharge from the hospital.
|HOW DO I
GET STARTED?
If you have a family member or friend awaiting a liver transplant
and are interested in pursuing living donation, talk to
him/her about it. If both you and the recipient are in agreement
about the living donation the transplant team will assist
you in the process.
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