A liver transplant is the surgical removal of a diseased liver and replacement with a healthy liver. A liver transplant is required at end-stage liver disease, which involves reduced liver function, muscle loss, encephalopathy, signs of portal hypertension fatigue, poor blood clotting ability and jaundice.
Many liver diseases can necessitate a liver transplant.
Prior to liver transplant, a team evaluates potential liver recipients. The wait depends on the patient blood type, size and general medical condition. Livers are obtained from several sources. There is a shortage of donor livers and unfortunately the waiting time is increasing every year. Perhaps hundreds of people die each year who might have survived had a healthly liver been available.