A liver transplant sometimes referred to as a hepatic transplant, can help you live longer if your liver has rendered inoperable. Your entire liver must be surgically removed as part of the procedure. The liver is then entirely or partially transplanted with a normal healthy liver. Either a living or dead donor may have provided this.

Since your liver is in charge of filtering blood and getting rid of waste from your body, it is crucial to have a good liver if you want to live a long time. Liver transplantation is a last-resort option for severe acute and chronic liver disorders.

Statistics on Liver Transplantation Success

A study found that those who received a liver transplant had an 89% chance of surviving after a year. 75% of people survive after five years. Sometimes the underlying disease can recur, or the transplanted liver may malfunction.

Your doctor should continue to check on your progress even after the transplant to identify any issues. You’ll probably require routine blood tests. You will also require lifelong antirejection medicine use, as per Johns Hopkins.

The Rationale behind Liver Transplants

Based on the American Liver Foundation, about 8,000 liver transplant operations are carried out annually in the U.s.

A physician might advise a liver transplant if a patient has end-stage liver problems. Without transplantation, a person with this ailment will pass away. If numerous liver disease treatments fail to keep a person alive, a doctor may also advise a liver transplant. In cases of severe liver failure or chronic liver illness, liver transplantation may be a possibility. The most frequent cause of adult liver transplantation is cirrhosis. Alcohol misuse, chronic hepatitis B or C, non-alcoholic fatty liver illness, and autoimmune hepatitis are among the factors that contribute to cirrhosis.

When deciding if you require a liver transplant, your healthcare practitioner will also consider other aspects. These consist of the following:

• Your general physical health, mental health
• The complexity of your disease
• Any coexisting medical disorders you have
• A history of persistent infections like HIV
• The level of assistance you receive from family and friends.

Before approving a liver transplant, a doctor considers how successfully the procedure will extend the patient’s life. If a person has other chronic diseases that could compromise the success of a transplant, they might not be a good candidate for one.

Two examples are individuals with severe cardiac issues or cancer that has progressed to other body parts. Another illustration would be evaluating a person’s capacity to stop drinking if they have cirrhosis brought on by alcoholism as a component of the transplant preparation.

Mortality Rates

It is hard to predict a person’s chances of receiving a functioning liver transplant and how much they will live after one due to a number of complex factors.

Despite the high success and life span of liver transplantation, a patient’s likelihood of leading a healthy life after the procedure depends on a number of crucial factors.

BMI and age

Age and BMI are critical variables affecting the survival rates following liver transplantation. Long-term life expectancy was shown to be worse in older individuals and those with BMIs over average and who were classified as overweight in a 2017 report.

Why the liver fails?

A 2013 study found that the reason for liver failure may also affect how well a liver transplant works. According to the study’s findings, children and adults with liver failure brought on by genetic factors fared better than those whose diseases were brought on by infections or unhealthy lifestyles.

Seeking A Donor Match

Seeking a liver donor can be complicated, stressful, and drawn-out. When a patient is given the go-ahead for a liver transplant, their physician will contact the non-profit UNOS and request that the patient’s name be placed on the country’s waiting list for organ donors. For some people, the wait for liver donor compatibility can last up to five years or more.

Recovery

After surgery, the majority of patients stay in the ICU for one or two days. They will keep using a ventilator to help them breathe, and they will be regularly checked to make sure the new liver is working well.

Furthermore, immunosuppressant (antirejection) medications will be given to them in order to prevent their bodies from destroying the liver of the donor. Immunosuppressive drugs must be taken for the rest of a person’s life if they have received an organ transplant. When they believe they are ready, medical staff will transfer the patient from the intensive care unit to a standard hospital room. After receiving a liver transplant, a patient must remain in the hospital for roughly two weeks before being released to go home.

Conclusion

Liver transplants are often risk-free procedures with high survival rates. However, a number of factors might impact a person’s chances of a successful procedure and determine how long they live thereafter. Their overall health, manner of life, and other circumstances are included in these variables.

After a liver transplant, recovery can take between three and six months before the patient can resume regular activities.

References
www.medicalnewstoday.com
www.healthline.com
www.healthinaging.org