Living Liver Donation Services
What is Living Liver donation?
In Living donation, a healthy person gives part of their liver to another person—usually a relative—while they are still alive.
Why should I consider this?
- May decrease time a person waits on the transplant list
- It is a relatively safe procedure that has been available for small children since the early 1990s.
- There is low risk to the donor, and results are excellent.
- This procedure can involve a parent donating a portion of his or her liver to the child.
- Healthy adults may be able to donate part of their liver to another adult.
Who can be a donor?
Donors must be. . .
- In excellent health
- Between the ages of 21 and 50 years
- Able to undergo extensive evaluation to determine candidacy
- Able to understand the risks and possible complications involved with the surgery
Who can receive a liver from a living donor?
- A candidate on the transplant list
- Someone who is relatively healthy and who understands the possible risks to the donor
- One that has financial clearance from their insurance carrier
Where do I start?
A series of steps are used to see if you can donate a part of your liver. Each step is designed for us to learn more about your health as well as give you more time to think through this important decision. The evaluation may take several weeks to complete. At any time, you can change your mind. Your decision to stop the evaluation will never be discussed with anyone. At any step, the transplant team can stop the evaluation based on questionable results. Our decisions are on a case by case basis and are final.
The Surgery
- The surgery is four to six hours long.
- About 60% of your liver will be removed.
- Your surgery and the recipient's surgery will be scheduled for the same time.
- While 60% of your liver is being removed, doctors will be removing the recipient's diseased liver.
- Your surgery may be canceled while in progress should there be anatomical variances not foreseen in radiology tests.
- Your piece of liver will be surgically attached inside the recipient.
- When you wake up, you will have a large incision that will cause you pain.
- Your liver will expand in a few weeks.
Complications
All surgeries have risks, including:
- bleeding
- infection
- discomfort (for up to six months)
- death
How soon can I go back to work?
The average hospital stay is six to eight days. Depending on the type of work you do, you may be able to go back to work in about eight weeks. Every patient is different.
I am still not sure about being a donor, who can I talk to ?
We can set up as many meetings as you need to talk with one of our Transplant Surgeons. One of the Transplant Social Workers is also available. Also, we may be able to arrange a meeting with another living donor so you can talk with someone who has been through this process.
By offering this new type of surgery, we hope to transplant more patients in a timely manner; provide options for our patients and their families, and decrease the number of people dying while waiting for a liver transplant.
After all the exams are completed, and if you become a donor or choose not to donate, the fact that you are considering the surgery is a true act of unselfishness. Remember, we are here for you.
