Living donor liver transplant has emerged in recent decades as a critical surgical option for patients with end stage liver diseases requiring immediate liver transplants. Unlike in cadaveric transplants, wherein the donor is not alive, a living donor transplant requires a donor from the patient's immediate family. Due to the growing number of patients requiring liver transplants, and limited number of cadaveric donors, living donor transplants are always more practical.
Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) comes as a relief to patients who require immediate transplants and cannot afford to wait for long; and the widespread shortage of cadaveric livers for patients awaiting transplants is not a secret.
LDLT is made possible due to the human liver's remarkable regenerative capacities. The donor donates a portion of their healthy liver to the patient, and this portion might just be enough to sustain the liver's normal functions.
Patients opting for a liver transplant abroad are always required to be accompanied by a healthy donor for a living donor liver transplant as cadaveric transplants are not practical for foreign nationals. The waiting list can be really long, in which case having a ready donor is always the best option.