LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

What Is Liver Transplantation?

Liver transplantation is a surgery that is performed to remove a diseased liver in order to replace it with a healthy one. Such surgeries have now been done for over 40 years all over the world.

When does one require a liver transplant?

Liver transplant is usually reserved as a treatment option for people who have significant complications due to end-stage chronic liver disease.

In rare cases, sudden failure of a previously normal liver may occur (ALF) and such patients may require an urgent liver transplant as a life-saving procedure.

Patients with liver cancer might require an early transplant even without severe underlying liver disease.

Some formulae and scoring systems universally used for severity assessment are the Child-Pugh-Turcotte (CTP) score and Model for End stage Liver Disease(MELD) score in adults and PELD score in children. The need & urgency of transplant in patients with acute liver failure(ALF) is determined by Kings College Criteria.

Some patients might have an irreversible liver disease but not enough to warrant a transplant, whereas others might be too sick to benefit from a transplant. This assessment can best be made by liver transplant surgeons and hepatologists. Transplantation will be offered only if the benefits of a liver transplant outweigh its risks.