The 6-month rule is a guideline used in the allocation of organs for liver transplantation. It refers to the requirement for patients to demonstrate a period of abstinence from alcohol or substance abuse for at least six months before being considered eligible for a liver transplant.
Embedded Player Many transplant centers require people with alcohol-related liver disease to remain sober for half a year, before becoming eligible for the waiting list for a liver.
Many may live for up to 20 years or more after the transplant. A study says 90% of people with transplant survive for at least 1 year, and 70% of people may live for at least 5 years after transplant.
Avoid alcohol
If your liver transplant was due to an alcohol-related disease, you must never drink alcohol again as you risk harming your transplanted liver. This also applies if alcohol was thought to have contributed to your liver disease, even if it was not the main cause.
The waiting period for a deceased donor transplant can range from less than 30 days to more than 5 years. How long you will wait depends on how badly you need a new liver.
In summary, the leading causes of late deaths after transplant were graft failure, malignancy, cardiovascular disease and renal failure. Older age, diabetes, and renal insufficiency identified patients at highest risk of poor survival overall.
Those who don't recover may die within days. Chronic liver failure is a more gradual process. People can live with cirrhosis for months or years while waiting for a liver transplant, although the need becomes more urgent when complications, such as portal hypertension, begin to develop.
What should I avoid eating after my liver transplant? Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can affect how well some immunosuppressants work. To help prevent problems with some of these medicines, avoid eating grapefruit and drinking grapefruit juice.
Recovering from a liver transplant can be a long process, but most people will eventually be able to return to most of their normal activities and have a good quality of life. It can take up to a year to fully recover, although you'll usually be able to start gradually building up your activities after a few weeks.
Is there an age limit for liver transplantation? The age limit is individualized as it varies with a patient's overall health condition. However, it is rare to offer liver transplant to someone greater than 70 years old.
The operation time varies depending on complexity of the procedure. It is often between 5-8 hours. After you have been put to sleep under anaesthetic, the surgery will begin. Your damaged liver will be removed and the donor liver will be transplanted into its place.
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.
You will not be able to drive for 6-8 weeks after your liver transplant, so your caregiver will need to bring you to all follow-up appointments.
Patient recall of abstinence advice is unreliable, and patients return to alcohol mainly within the first year after liver transplantation. Return to alcohol consumption after liver transplantation is associated with rapid development of histological liver injury including fibrosis.
For decades, transplant centers in the United States have followed a practice that requires patients to abstain from drinking alcohol for six months to be eligible for a liver transplant.
Avoid foods that include raw or undercooked eggs, such as Caesar salad, Hollandaise sauce, some custards, and chocolate mousse. Do not eat soft cheeses, and discard moldy foods.
Very common longer-term risks
The most common infections are chest or urine infections. These are usually fairly straightforward to treat with antibiotic tablets. Infections inside the liver transplant itself can be harder to treat.
Hepatic artery stricture/HAS
HAS and HAT are the most common hepatic arterial complications, with high rates of morbidity and mortality[56,58] (Table 3).
Eat small frequent meals throughout the day and include protein with every meal. Good sources include poultry (chicken and turkey), fish, seafood, red meats and yogurt. Although high in cholesterol, eggs, nuts and dairy products such as milk and cheese are also good sources of protein.
The patient may need to rest for a few hours after hair transplantation. The patient may suffer from a headache or swelling of the scalp. Cold compresses are recommended for painful areas. It is not recommended to drink coffee, alcohol or cigarettes.
As you wait for surgery, you will meet regularly with doctors and other members of your transplant team to assess any progression of your liver disease and provide you with the resources you need to stay healthy.
While waiting on the list patients are advised to stay as healthy as possible by eating a healthy balanced diet, taking regular exercise, completely avoiding alcohol, not smoking etc. An average waiting time for a liver transplant is 149 days for adults and 86 days for children.