What Will Happen After a Liver Transplant?

Medical Video: Liver Transplant: The Surgery, Recovery and Quality of Life | Q&A

There are many challenges that you need to go through after liver transplant surgery, especially in dealing with possible complications and returning to daily life. If you do not take proper care, it will be very dangerous for the transplanted organ and your overall health. So, what should you and your family do after a liver transplant?

You need to follow the doctor's instructions to avoid complications

After a liver transplant, your body's immune system will regard transplanted organs as foreign objects and try to protect you by rejecting them. This is the reason why complications occur, such as:

Bleeding: There is a small risk of bleeding in the anastomosis, the place where the blood vessels of the donor and recipient are connected.
Hepatic artery thrombosis: If there is a clot in the hepatic artery, liver malfunction can occur.
Bile duct leakage: The connection between the liver and bile duct or the position of the intestine may leak. This can make bile leak into the abdominal cavity and cause infection.
Rejection: Your body will create immune cells to attack your heart because it regards the liver as a foreign object.
Infection: After transplantation, you have a high risk of getting an infection because the immune system is blocked by drugs, especially if you do not maintain the operating area carefully.
Recurrence of hepatitis: Can recur, especially hepatitis B or C virus infection after transplantation.

To avoid the risk of complications, you need to follow a prescription from a doctor and visit the hospital for routine checks. Contact your doctor if signs of complications arise.

You need to adjust your expectations

Before choosing a treatment, your doctor will discuss with you about treatment and how it will affect you. You need to prepare yourself mentally, what will happen after surgery:

You need to stay in the hospital for several days, usually around 5-10 days, after transplantation. Your health signs and conditions will be monitored to see symptoms of complications. Staff will take tests to make sure your heart is working normally. Once you are stable, you can get out of the hospital or move to the transplant recovery area to continue the recovery process.
When you get home, you will need to visit the hospital regularly for an examination. Tests will often be done at first, but will decrease over time.
You may need to take medication for the rest of your life to prevent your immune system from rejecting your new liver. You may receive immunosuppresants, but this means that your immune system will be weakened and you are more vulnerable to other conditions such as infections. But fortunately, there are other medicines to help reduce the risk of other complications after transplantation.

You need to limit some of your activities

After returning from a liver transplant surgery, you need to protect the operating area to prevent infection and other complications. So, to return to a normal and active life, you need to remember some limitations.

Do not lift weights more than 2 kg for the first 6 weeks and load more than 9 kg for the first 3 months after surgery.
Avoid activities that pull the abdominal muscles around the operating area, such as sweeping for 3 months.
Bathing with a shower is better than bathing, at least for 6 months.
Do not run on hard surfaces such as cement or asphalt for 6 months.
Don't take heavy physical activities such as riding a horse or motorcycle for 1 year.
Don't drive a car 1 month after a transplant, or whenever you consume painkillers.
Limit consumption of fat and sodium (salt) to your diet.
Avoid smoking and alcohol.

The more you take care of yourself, the faster you get your strength back. Don't forget to always be positive and happy. Even though you may not realize the importance of taking good care of yourself, the results will be seen if you do it diligently.

What Will Happen After a Liver Transplant?

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