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Multi-Organ Transplant
Liver Transplant
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UHN’s Liver Transplantation Care Area
Liver transplantation is a life-saving operation for patients with end-stage liver disease or for patients with liver cell cancer. Although the liver is often able to regenerate and recover from acute disease, chronic liver injury often results in scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). Advanced liver cirrhosis will compromise the liver function and is often associated with life threatening complications. The only effective treatment for patients with advanced liver cirrhosis is liver transplantation.
The liver transplant team includes a hepatologist, liver transplant surgeon, anesthetist, transplant coordinator, social worker, psychiatrist/psychiatric nurse, physiotherapist and nutritionist.
Together, the team consults with the patient and, after a series of tests and interviews, determines if a patient may be suitable for transplantation. Throughout this process, transplant candidates and their family members are provided with detailed information and a chance to ask questions, so they can make an informed decision about whether transplant surgery is the right option for them.
Four main types of liver disease can be treated by liver transplantation
- End-stage liver disease is usually the result of chronic inflammation within the liver and results in liver scarring, also called liver cirrhosis. Different types of diseases will result in liver cirrhosis such as chronic viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and several others. Advanced liver cirrhosis will decrease the function of the liver and compromise the blood flow through the liver. This can result in various complications such as accumulation of fluid in the abdomen (ascites), confusion, bleeding, and recurrent infections.
- For certain types of liver cell cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) liver transplantation offers excellent chances of long-term cure. A multidisciplinary team of surgeons, hepatologists, oncologists and interventional radiologists will evaluate each patient and decide if liver transplantation is the best treatment option.
- Acute liver failure can develop rapidly in otherwise healthy individuals following an acute liver injury and may be caused by viral infection, an acute autoimmune disease and many others. In many cases the reason of the acute liver failure remains unclear. Acute liver failure, although rare, requires often urgent liver transplantation.
- Different metabolic disorders, e.g. Oxalosis, Amyloidosis and others, can be an indication for liver transplantation to avoid injury of other organ systems.
Who can be a donor?
Two types of donors can provide a liver graft for a life saving liver transplantation.
- Liver grafts from patients who recently expired because of cerebral injury or cardiac arrest (deceased donor). Deceased donors often donate more than one organ which can save up to 5 lives.
- Living liver donors donate a part of their liver. The liver will regenerate in the donor and the recipient to almost the original volume within 8 weeks.
