A liver transplant is a surgical process that involves the excision of an ill functional liver and replacement with a healthy one from a deceased or a living donor. A liver transplant is a life-saving treatment that can save people whose liver function is mostly failing or has progressed to fulfill end-stage liver disease (ELD).

The liver favors not just detoxification, but utilization and digestion of nutrients, transforming of ingested substances into metabolites, synthesis of proteins, and a slew of its vital body functions. When a failed liver cannot take out the dangerous substances, the toxins accumulate and stay in the blood current. A patient may have to face many complications like these, which can be potentially hazardous in the long run. The final option is liver transplant which is the only method that can give the recipient patient a new liver and will normalize liver function again.

Who Needs a Liver Transplant?

• Cirrhosis – Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver, often caused by hepatitis, alcoholism, or fatty liver disease. As cirrhosis worsens, the liver becomes unable to perform essential functions.
• Liver Cancer – Liver cancer, or hepatocellular carcinoma, can develop in damaged livers with cirrhosis. Some patients may be eligible for a transplant.
• Acute Liver Failure – Acute liver failure, also known as fulminant hepatic failure, is a rapid deterioration in liver function caused by drug overdoses or viral infections.
• Genetic Diseases – Some inherited diseases, like Wilson’s disease and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, cause liver problems. Transplantation may help stop disease progression.
• Biliary Atresia – This childhood disease causes progressive scarring of the bile ducts, leading to liver failure if not treated with a transplant.