A liver transplant is a major operation and there are significant risks and complications. Risks vary for individual patients, and depend on a number of factors such as age and general health. The major risks of liver transplant surgery include: Bleeding during your surgery.
Some risks of living-donor liver transplant may include: Bile leakage — this occurs in a small subset of living-liver donors and most often resolves itself. Doctors can also aid the healing process by placing a tube in the liver. Infection — some living-liver donors may get an infection at the site of surgery.
How Long Is Living-Donor Liver Surgery? The entire liver donor operation will take five to seven hours.
Unfortunately, you will have significant pain after surgery. We will give you pain medication but you will still be very uncomfortable for at least the first week. You will have less pain as each day goes by, but most of our donors have a significant amount of discomfort for two to four weeks after surgery.
However, a liver transplant is a major operation that carries a risk of some potentially serious complications. These can occur during, soon after, or several years after the procedure. Some of the main problems associated with liver transplants include: your body rejecting the new liver.
Although mortality has traditionally been estimated at 1 in 250 for living donation, a more recent survey found a 1 in 1,000 chance of death among liver donors at experienced centers, and a morbidity rate of approximately 30%.
There is pain after liver transplant surgery, however it is generally not as severe as with other abdominal surgeries. This is because nerves are severed during the initial abdominal incision causing numbness of the skin around the abdomen. These nerves regenerate over the following six months and sensation returns.
Rejection happens in up to 30 in 100 patients. The risk of rejection is highest in the first 6 months after a transplant. After this time, your body's immune system is less likely to recognise the liver as coming from another person. Chronic rejection happens in 2 in 100 patients.
Excess weight gain is common after liver transplantation. Maximum weight gain occurs in the first six months after transplant.
How Long Does It Take for a Liver to Regenerate After Donation? In a few months after surgery, your liver will regenerate back to its full size, and return to your pre-donation level of health. The other person's new liver will grow to full size as well, leaving both people with healthy, functioning livers.
Many living liver donors return to work on a part-time basis as early as four to six weeks after surgery. Heavy lifting or strenuous physical activity is restricted for six weeks and until the donor is cleared to do so. Returning to full-time work may take up to two months, depending on the nature of the donor's work.
Donating part of your liver is possible because the liver – unlike other organs – has the remarkable ability to regenerate. If you donate part of your liver, the rest grows back to most of its original size within weeks. It then continues to grow slowly to reach its full size over the next year.
Most patients are hospitalized for seven to 10 days after liver transplant. Afterward, they generally recuperate at home and typically return to work or school after about three months.
Infections and bile duct complications are common after a liver transplant. You will need to take strong medicines to suppress your immune system. You may need further surgery to fix any problems. It is possible that the transplanted liver doesn't work properly.
You cannot be a liver donor if you: Are under age 18 or over age 60. Suffer from heart disease or lung disease. Have an incompatible blood type.
Livers from female donors yielded significantly poorer results, with 2-year graft survival of female to male 55% (95% CI, 45% to 67%); female to female, 64% (95% CI, 54% to 77%); male to male, 72% (95% CI, 66% to 78%); and male to female, 78% (95% CI, 70% to 88%).
In this study, however, even many years after donation, many were reporting problems that were clearly linked to their original surgery, she said. Seventy-eight donors, or 15 percent, reported donation-related medical problems – most often hernias, digestive issues, chronic diarrhea, and problems with scar tissue.
In this national study of complications following living liver donation, 23% of donors had at least 1 postoperative complication, but only 5% were major (Clavien grade III or higher).
Is there an age limit to becoming an organ donor? No: There is no age limit for donation or to sign up. In 2021, one out of every three people who donated organs was over the age of 50.
Excessive brain swelling, or severe infection are signs that a patient may not be able to withstand a liver transplant.
A study cohort of 251 liver transplantation (LT) recipients were followed up for 20 years. The actual 20-year patient survival rate was 62.6% in 207 adult living donor LT recipients, 68.2% in 22 adult deceased donor LT recipients, and 77.3% in 22 pediatric LT recipients.
Your Blood Type Is a Good Match
If you are Type A, you can donate to those who are also Type A as well as Type AB. Type B blood types can donate to other Type Bs and to Type ABs. Type AB people can donate to those with that same blood type.
The short, straight portion of the incision that extends up to the breastbone is 3 to 4 inches long. The incision from one side of the rib cage to the other is from 12 to 16 inches long. The transplant operation is done in phases: Removing the diseased liver.
For a patient to be listed as candidate for LT, 6 mo of abstinence must be achieved in most liver transplantation centers. Studies differ in the validation of this “6-mo rule” as well as in the real impact that relapse to drinking could have on the transplanted liver[5-8].
If your recovery is going well, after 6-8 weeks, you will usually be encouraged to start moderate exercise. This could be walking, jogging, swimming or cycling. Most sports and activities are possible but you should avoid heavy contact sports (rugby, martial arts, boxing) as these risk damaging your transplanted organ.