Contents:
- Medical Video: Patient Education: Living Donor Liver Transplantation
- What is a liver transplant?
- Donor operation
- Operation back table
- Recipient operation
- Who needs a liver transplant?
- What are the requirements for liver transplantation?
- How to prepare for a liver transplant?
- What happens after a liver transplant?
Medical Video: Patient Education: Living Donor Liver Transplantation
If you have liver disease and other treatments have failed, liver transplantation may be the next best choice for you. You should know that liver transplantation has the highest survival rate. With the right changes in medical care and lifestyle, your body can benefit from a new liver with few complications. We can help you understand more about liver transplantation.
What is a liver transplant?
Liver transplantation is a medical procedure that is used to replace your heart that fails with a new and healthy heart from another person called a donor. The heart can be transferred in whole or in part to people who have died or are living.
There are three operations involved in liver transplantation: donor surgery, operation back tableand receiver operations. Your medical team will coordinate this operation.
Donor operation
Donor surgery is an operation to remove a healthy heart from the donor. The operation will get donor hearts from two possible sources.
- The liver may come from a donor who has just died. Families of deceased donors made the decision to donate all organs that were still working. In this case, it is important to maintain the function of the organ until it is removed. Donors are placed on the breathing machine to continue to supply oxygen to healthy organs. This operation will be a multi-organ operation in which the kidneys, heart and lungs and, on certain occasions, the pancreas, small intestine, cornea, skin and bones are also removed.
- The liver can also come from a living donor. This operation involves organ transplants involving parts of the liver that are removed from living donors and transplanted into patients. Because the liver has the ability to regenerate, the part that is transplanted and the remaining part of the donor's liver can grow back into a normal liver.
Operation back table
Operation back table performed at the recipient hospital to make necessary modifications to the donor liver such as reducing the size of the liver. This is usually done right before the recipient's surgery.
Recipient operation
Recipient surgery or surgery in patients who will receive the heart is the final step for liver transplantation. This is when the liver fails to be replaced with a healthy liver from a donor. You will be under anesthesia to reduce pain and be given medication to prevent too much blood loss. The surgeon will make a wound in your stomach to replace the liver. They will also put several tubes to help you carry out certain bodily functions after surgery.
Who needs a liver transplant?
Liver transplantation is needed if the liver is unable to perform important functions. This function includes filtering blood from poisons, producing bile to aid digestion, and storing energy as sugar for later use. Liver failure can occur in everyone at any age. Liver failure has many causes such as excessive alcohol use, hepatitis, cirrhosis, paracetamol overdose, and other liver diseases.
Over the past two decades, the number of people who need liver transplants has increased by 90%, but the amount of donations available remains the same.
What are the requirements for liver transplantation?
As with many transplants, demand is greater than supply. You need to fulfill many requirements for a liver transplant. Here are some things you can expect:
- You must experience symptoms that greatly affect the quality of your life.
- You must have a high survival rate after transplantation.
- You must pass all physical and mental tests.
- You need to be financially ready for transplant.
- There are donors available.
How to prepare for a liver transplant?
Before doing a transplant, you need to prepare your mind and body. You can think what might happen after a transplant. Think about your life before the transplant and how it will change.
While you are on the waiting list, you need to sort out the documents and financial problems before the transplant. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy and exercising regularly.
It's a good idea to let your family know when the surgery is happening so they can take the time to treat you after the transplant is complete.
What happens after a liver transplant?
It is estimated that after surgery, around 85 out of 100 people live at least one year and 65 out of 100 live for five years or more.
After the liver is transplanted, the body often treats it as a foreign tissue and will attack a new liver. This is called graft rejection and can cause newly transplanted organs to be damaged. To prevent this, there are several drugs called immunosuppressant. A liver transplant patient needs to take this medicine for life to prevent rejection from their new heart.
Apart from rejection, there are a number of other problems that you should know after a liver transplant.
- Infection. As with many surgeries, there is a high risk of infection after surgery. Your doctor may give antibiotics and / or antifungal drugs to prevent infection.
- Biliary condition. This refers to conditions related to the bile duct, such as obstruction or leak of bile.
- Kidney failure. It is possible that the immunosuppressants you use can cause kidney failure. Your doctor will closely monitor your kidney function after surgery.
- Graft failure. The new liver may not work properly after transplantation. If this happens, you may need a new heart as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the doctor will give medication to control the problem.
- Skin cancer. Your skin will be more sensitive to the sun. It is important to always use sunscreen and protective clothing before going outside.
In addition, there is also a high risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease after transplantation. A healthy diet and regular exercise can help normalize life after a liver transplant.
