Live Donor Transplant
Living liver donation Introduction
Liver donation is possible from a living donor who is a relative of the recipient who can donate half his/her liver. The donor operation is entirely safe and the half liver quickly regenerates in both the donor and the recipient in a few weeks. In the first few days after operation even when regeneration is not complete, the half liver is enough to maintain normal donor functions due to the immense reserve in the liver.
Who can be a Donor?
- The person must donate of his/her own free will
- The person should be between 18-55 years and weigh between 50-85kg
- The person must be a close relative
- The donor and recipient blood group must match
- The donor liver structure / function, as well as the other systems must be normal
- Half of the donor liver must be enough in volume for the recipient
A number of tests, including blood and urine, will be required to verify that a potential donor is entirely healthy and does not show evidence of liver disease or other conditions that may prevent such a donation. A liver specialist, not involved in the care of the patient, is consulted to assess the health and suitability of the potential donor. As with patients undergoing evaluation for a liver transplant, potential donors will be interviewed by a social worker and a psychiatrist. Any medical, social or psychological issues identified may preclude an individual from donating.
If the potential donor successfully passes the initial screening, then he or she will undergo more extensive testing before the transplant surgery is scheduled. A special MRI of the abdomen will be obtained to accurately assess the size of the liver, as well as other aspects of the patient's anatomy. An angiogram (a picture of the blood vessels leading to the liver), and other pre-surgery tests, such as an EKG and chest X-ray, will also be performed
Facts about liver donation surgery
- Modern liver cutting techniques using CUSA have made it safe and blood less
- Normal liver has immense reserve - nearly 70% of liver can be safely removed although much less is removed
- Normal liver grows back very quickly - it can be restored to normal size after removal of half the liver in just 2 weeks
Cadaveric Transplant
Cadaver donor is a person with irreversible brain damage who has been declared brain-dead and whose family has agreed to donate the organs for transplantation. This situation arises only in a hospital ICU in a person after brain injury in an accident or in someone who has suffered fatal brain hemorrhage etc. In these circumstances, the whole liver can be used for an adult, and a part of it for a child. After removal from the donor (a process called liver retrieval) the liver can safely be kept preserved outside the body in special preservation solutions for 12-15 hours.
Because there are more people needing liver transplants than there are available donor livers, most potential recipients go on national waiting lists. All organs available for transplantation are matched against the waiting lists to find the most compatible recipient. The length of time on a waiting list may range from months to years
Cadaveric liver transplant
Cadaveric liver transplant
When a donor is available, the recipient (who is going to receive the liver) is called into the hospital and routine blood tests will be done. He will seen by the anesthesiologist. Meanwhile the donor team will be retrieving the liver and if the liver is transplantable, the hospital where the recipient team is waiting will be informed so that the blood bank and operating staff can be alerted.
When the liver arrives, it has to be cleaned which will take one two hours. Meanwhile, the recipient will be prepared for surgery. The surgery takes anywhere between 5 and 15 hours. If it a good quality liver, It starts working immediately in the form of producing good bile and good control bleeding
Allocation of such organs is strictly according to blood group which must match, time on waiting list and urgency of requirement.
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Our Mission:
To give Liver Disease or Liver Transplant patients and their families the up-to-date information, practical advice and support they need to reduce the fear and uncertainty of Liver Transplant .