How Common Are Liver Transplants?
Every year, there are over 17,000 people waiting to receive a new liver. Since only about 4,500 liver transplants are performed each year, however, people needing a transplant often stay on the waiting list for 1 to 2 years. Because of this shortage, about 1 out of every 4 patients who need a new liver will die before one becomes available.
Types of Liver Transplants
The purpose of liver donation is to replace a diseased liver with a healthy one. There are two ways to do this. One way is to get a liver from a deceased donor -- someone who has recently passed away. The second way is through a surgery called "adult living donor liver transplantation." In an adult living donor liver transplant, the doctors take a portion of a liver from a living person (or donor) and transplant it into someone else.
The Liver Donation Surgery
Liver donation surgery is a major operation. The entire adult living donor liver transplant surgery takes about 6 to 8 hours.
Most people stay in the hospital for 4 to 8 days after donating part of their liver and then continue to recover at home for another 4 to 6 weeks. You will also have a few followup appointments with your healthcare team after the surgery. During the next 1 to 2 months, the liver usually returns to its normal size and function.
Other Considerations With Liver Donation
Your first step in the liver donation process is having several exams as part of your medical evaluation. The evaluation may discover certain health problems that you didn't know you had. While knowing this can be good for your future health, it may increase the costs of your health or life insurance, or make it harder to get insurance in the future.
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