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Liver Transplant

A liver transplant is a surgical procedure that removes a severely diseased liver and replaces it with a healthy liver from an organ donor.

Conditions that can destroy the liver include long-term alcohol use, viral hepatitis, liver cancer, and other diseases.

After receiving a transplant, a person will need to take medicines the rest of his or her life to suppress the immune system and prevent rejection of the new organ.

Not everyone is a candidate for liver transplant. The person must be in good health apart from the liver disease, be free from drugs and alcohol for at least 6 months, and be young enough for the possibility of a long life when healthy. The person must also be free from significant psychological disorders (such as severe depression).

Last Revised: February 2, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine & Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Donald Sproule, MD, CM, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Steven L. Flamm, MD - Gastroenterology

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