Transplant Ethics Committee Meeting

Once the pre-transplant evaluation is completed, both the recipient’s and potential donor’s profiles are presented to the transplant ethics committee. The Transplant Ethics Committee will consider and assess the ethical issues related to the living donor liver transplant and give a written authorization for the living donor liver transplantation to be carried out if they agree to it.

In accordance to Singapore’s Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA), the ethics committee will comprise of :

1. A medical practitioner not employed or otherwise connected with the hospital;
2. A medical practitioner employed or otherwise connected with the hospital; and
3. A lay person.

Living Donor Liver Transplant for Children

In a paediatric living donor liver transplant, the left lateral portion of the liver of an adult donor is used, roughly 40% of the liver. Such a procedure effective and safe as it reduces the number of children who die awaiting cadaveric liver transplant. Children who undergo liver transplantation with living donor liver transplant graft have better survival rates than with deceased donor organ transplant.

Living Donor Liver Transplant for Adult

In an ALDLT (adult living donor liver transplant), the right lobe of the donor’s liver (about 60% of liver) is transplanted into the recipient. Use of the larger right liver for adult recipients is necessary to provide the patient with enough liver tissue that will regenerate, increasing in size to an appropriate match for the recipient. The donor’s remaining liver will also regenerate to its full size, without risk to liver function in the future. The complications, though very rare, have been detailed in the “Living Donor Assessment” (hyperlink to the subpage).

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