The Liver is the second most transplanted organ in the world, after the kidney. The most common reasons for liver transplantation are liver cancer and liver failure in adults, and biliary atresia in children. As mentioned earlier, due to shortage of cadaveric liver donors, living donor liver transplantation has become another life-saving option for patients with end-stage liver disease. Therefore, it is very important for liver transplant candidates, their families and their donors to understand the organ transplant process, the surgery, the potential risk(s) and follow-up care involved with liver transplantation.

At Asian Centre for Liver Diseases & Transplantation, our experienced transplant coordinators will educate and help you, your family and your donor through each and every part of the process once it has been decided that you are a candidate for liver transplantation.

Some basics anyone should know starts here :

• The liver is the largest internal organ and one of the most vital organs in your body. The liver performs many complex and essential functions in the body to keep you healthy, such as :

• METABOLISM – Metabolizes, or breaks down, and distributes nutrients from food to produce energy
• STORAGE – Stores fats, sugar (glucose), iron and certain vitamins for later use by the body
• PRODUCTION – Produces bile which is needed in the absorption of fats and vitamins A, D, E, and K; Produces important proteins that regulate blood clotting
• CLEANING – Helps your body fight infection by removing bacteria and some viruses from the blood; Removes some cancer cells, potentially toxic by-products of certain medications, alcohol and other substances that may be harmful to the body

• The liver is the second most commonly transplanted major organ, after the kidney

• The most common symptoms of progressive liver disease include:

• severe itching
• dark urine
• mental confusion or coma
• vomiting of blood
• easy bruising and tendency to bleed
• gray or clay-colored stools
• abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen, also known as ascites
• jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin)
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• In living donor liver transplant, up to 60% of the liver from a healthy living donor is removed through surgery and transplanted in place of the diseased liver in the recipient.

• Liver transplantation may not be the solution for some patients with end-stage liver conditions. Each case has to be evaluated carefully for the final decision to be made.