Liver transplantation is a surgery performed by transferring a healthy liver from another donor to patients whose liver has lost its function. Liver transplant surgery is usually performed for patients with cirrhosis. The fact that the life of the patients is less than 1 year and that the patient will die if there is no surgery necessitates liver transplantation.
It is thought that patients with liver failure will die within a year if liver transplantation is not performed. Therefore, transplantation is of vital importance for patients.
Liver transplant surgeries performed to date have been successful at a rate of 80%. Most patients can return to their daily life, work and family after transplantation. But there are medicines that must be used for life. In addition, he should do light exercises and eat healthy until the end of his life.
Why is Liver Transplantation Necessary?
Liver transplantation is mandatory for patients with liver failure. Often there is no other treatment option for patients. Factors that cause liver failure and liver transplantation:
- Hereditary anomalies
- Viruses that cause cancer or hepatitis
- Cirrhosis
- Excessive alcohol use
- Overuse of medicine
- Drug use
- Jaundice
- Infection
How is Liver Transplant Operated?
Liver transplantation takes place between the patient and the donor with the same blood group. Sometimes liver transplantation can be performed despite the difference in blood group, but it is only preferred as a last resort in emergency situations.
Donor selection in liver transplantation is done as follows:
- People who are brain dead and people whose lives are not endangered when they become a donor.
- If the donor is a non-brain dead person, only part of the liver is removed.
- In the surgery, the liver of the recipient patient is completely removed and the liver or liver part taken from the donor is placed.
- The surgery is performed under general anesthesia and takes between 8-18 hours.
- The transplant is carried out not by a single specialist, but by several specialists.
- Usually, liver harvest from the donor and liver transplant to the patient are done at the same time.
