how can you donate a liver

What are the criteria for donating a liver?

May 31, 2017 · A living liver donation surgery involves removing part of a person’s healthy liver — as much as 60 percent — and using this partial liver to replace the recipient’s diseased liver. In the weeks to come, both the donor and recipient sections will grow to the size of normal livers.

What happens if you donate a part of Your Liver?

A liver transplant is a surgical procedure done in some patients with liver failure to replace their diseased liver with a healthy liver. When a patient receives a liver transplant, his or her entire liver is removed. It is then replaced by a portion of the donor’s healthy liver.

What are the risks of donating a liver?

Who Can Donate a Liver? You Must Want to Do It. You're the only one who can decide to donate part of your liver. It's illegal for anyone to force you to do it. It's also ... You're a Family Member or Friend. You're in the Right Age Group. Your Blood Type Is …

Can you donate a liver and still live?

Living donation is possible because the liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself. An adult may be able to donate a portion of their liver to a child or another adult. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) notes that adult-to-child living-donor liver transplants have helped diminish waiting list deaths, giving a second chance at life to children in need of …

What tests are done for liver transplant?

Some of the testing you will have includes blood tests, urine tests, imaging exams of your liver, and cancer screening.

How long do you stay in the hospital after a liver transplant?

Most living liver donors stay in the hospital for five to 10 days. The transplant team will also ask you to stay close to Salt Lake City (within two hours driving distance) until your surgeon decides you’re healthy enough to return home.

How long does it take for a liver transplant to regrow?

After donating part of your liver, your liver will regrow and work normally again within just a few months. Most people who need a liver transplant spend months or years waiting for an organ donation from a deceased donor.

How long does it take for a liver to grow back after a liver transplant?

It takes about six months for your liver to fully grow back after a living liver donation surgery. Our ultimate goal is to make sure you’re just as healthy after your living donation surgery as you were before your surgery.

Can you talk to another liver donor?

Our living donor program can arrange for you to speak to another donor who has donated a portion of their liver. If you’re nervous or don’t know what to expect, talking to another living liver donor can help you feel more confident about your decision.

Is it safe to donate a liver?

1. Living liver donation is safe. Your liver is an incredible organ. It actually regrows to its original size within six months of a living liver donation surgery. Like any surgery, the procedure does have some risks. But overall, living liver donation is safe. Our team will always act in your best interests and safety as a donor.

What is liver transplant surgery?

Surgery. In living liver donor surgery, the donor and the recipient are placed in side-by-side operating rooms. A surgeon removes a part of the donor’s liver, typically the right half. This donated segment of the liver is then immediately placed in the recipient in the next operating room. Many liver transplant surgeries are done laparoscopically, ...

What are the benefits of a liver transplant?

There are many benefits of receiving a liver from a living donor: 1 No waiting period 2 Surgeries can be scheduled at a convenient time for both the donor and the recipient 3 A liver from a living donor typically lasts longer than a liver from a deceased donor 4 A living liver transplant can be scheduled electively and before the onset of life-threatening complications while waiting for a liver from a deceased donor

Can you get a liver transplant from a living donor?

There are many benefits of receiving a liver from a living donor: No waiting period. Surgeries can be scheduled at a convenient time for both the donor and the recipient. A liver from a living donor typically lasts longer than a liver from a deceased donor. A living liver transplant can be scheduled electively and before the onset ...

What are the requirements to be a donor?

If you want to be a donor, your liver, kidneys, and thyroid need to be working right. Transplant centers also want to know that you don't have medical problems like these: 1 Liver disease, including hepatitis 2 Diabetes (or a strong family history of the disease) 3 Heart, kidney, or lung disease 4 Gastrointestinal disease, autoimmune disorders, neurologic disease, and certain blood disorders 5 HIV/AIDS 6 Cancer (or once had some types of cancer) 7 High blood pressure that's not under control 8 Current or long-term infections, including hepatitis C 9 Use of alcohol or recreational drugs, including marijuana

How old do you have to be to get a transplant?

Most transplant centers want you to be between 18 and 60 years old, although the exact age range varies. The reason is that older donors tend to have more complications than younger ones. Transplant centers also consider children and teens to be too young to give the proper consent.

How long before surgery can you quit smoking?

Quitting tobacco 1-2 months before surgery can help lower the odds of complications. Quitting smoking even right before surgery can increase the amount of oxygen in your body. After 24 hours without smoking, nicotine and carbon monoxide are already gradually broken down in the blood.

Can you donate liver to someone on the waiting list?

If you're a blood relative, it's more likely that your blood type will be a good match for the person getting part of your liver. Some transplant centers, though, let you donate part of your liver to someone you don't know who's on the organ transplant waiting list.

Is it illegal to sell organs?

It's illegal for anyone to force you to do it. It's also against the law to sell organs. Transplant centers always make sure that their donors are doing this of their own free will, and you'll need to sign a consent form. You have the right to back out at any time.

What is a liver transplant?

Still have questions? A liver transplant is a surgical procedure to remove a diseased liver and replace it with a healthy liver from a donor. Most liver transplant operations use livers from deceased donors. In some cases, a part of a liver may be donated by a living donor.

How many people are on the waiting list for a liver transplant?

In some cases, a part of a liver may be donated by a living donor. Currently, 14,000 people in the United States are on the national transplant waiting list for a donor liver. What are the basics of liver donation?

How long does it take for a liver to regrow?

A living donor’s liver fully regrows within 4 months and will ultimately regain full function. The donated portion does the same for the recipient. A liver from a deceased donor may also be split and transplanted into 2 recipients.

How long does it take to recover from a liver transplant?

Recovery time at home varies for each person, most recipients can resume simple activities of daily living within a week.

How many people can you make a difference in by becoming an organ donor?

By signing up to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor, you can make a difference in the lives of more than 75 people. Make LIFE possible, register here to become a donor.

Can an adult donate liver to a child?

An adult may be able to donate a portion of their liver to a child or another adult. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) notes that adult-to-child living-donor liver transplants have helped diminish waiting list deaths, giving a second chance at life to children in need of transplant. Since the number of patients waiting ...

How long does it take to recover from a liver transplant?

Typically, a liver donor spends approximately seven days in the hospital, and will have an additional six to eight weeks of recovery time.

How long does it take for a liver to regenerate after surgery?

Your liver will begin to regenerate immediately after surgery and will be back to normal size in six to eight weeks. Your recovery after discharge will be closely monitored with routine clinic visits and laboratory tests. If you are interested in becoming a living donor, call 410-614-2989 or download our living donor candidate packet.

How long after discharge can you drive?

You are instructed not to drive while on sedating medications, which are used at least two to three weeks after discharge. You are encouraged to walk several times a day.

Is it safe to donate a liver?

Risks Associated with Liver Donation. Even though live liver donation is considered a very safe operation, it involves major surgery and is associated with complications, which may include: Possible allergic reaction to anesthesia. Pain and discomfort. Nausea.

Where do they remove the liver from a donor?

During the procedure. On the day of the transplant, surgeons will remove a portion of the donor liver for transplant through an incision in the abdomen. The specific part of the liver donated depends on the size of the donor liver and the needs of the recipient.

What is a living donor liver?

Living-donor liver transplant offers an alternative to waiting for a deceased-donor liver. Having a living liver donor also allows the recipient to avoid some possible health complications while waiting for a transplant. People who have a living-donor liver transplant seem to have fewer medical problems after the procedure than those who receive ...

How long does it take for a liver transplant to grow back?

During living-donor liver donation, surgeons remove a portion of the donor liver and place it into the recipient. Within a couple of months after living-donor liver surgery, the donor's liver typically grows back to its normal size, volume and capacity.

How long can liver be preserved?

After removal from the donor (a process called liver retrieval) the liver can safely be kept preserved outside the body in special preservation solutions for 12-15 hours. Allocation of such organs is strictly according to blood group which must match, time on waiting list and urgency of requirement.

How long after liver transplant can you exercise?

Heavy physical activity, sports including lifting weights can be resumed 3 months after surgery. There are no dietary or any other restrictions, and the donor leads a completely normal life with normal liver function without any decrease in the longevity of life or any other long-term consequences. All the donors in the author's series ...

Can you donate half your liver?

Liver donation is also possible from a living donor who is a relative of the recipient who can donate half his/her liver. The donor operation is entirely safe and the half liver quickly regenerates in both the donor and the recipient in a few weeks. In the first few days after operation even when regeneration is not complete, the half liver is enough to maintain normal donor functions due to the immense reserve in the liver.