Transplantation for Alcoholic Liver Disease
Because liver disease can be so stressful to
patients and their families, it is not unusual
for people with end-stage liver disease to develop
feelings of depression, excessive worry and difficulties
with memory and sleep. Also, people with alcohol-related
liver disease and those with a past history of
illicit drug problems make up a large segment
of the patients in need of liver transplantation
in the United States.
At Penn, we are committed to each patient as
a unique individual with their own needs and strengths.
To best understand these features in our patients,
we provide a complete psychiatric and social work
assessment with the same degree of thoroughness
as we approach the medical and surgical evaluation
of our patients. We want patients to know that
we are available to meet their emotional as well
as their surgical needs.
Once a patient receives a liver transplant at
Penn, we are devoted to their care for life. Therefore,
we perform a psychiatric and social work evaluation
so that we can recommend state-of-the-art treatment
methods to strengthen any potential problem areas
that may affect the well-being of our transplant
patients.
The social work evaluation is completed by our
Master's trained transplant social worker. Her
evaluation consists of an interview in which she
will ask the patient about their understanding
of their illness, the stability of their living
situation, the supportiveness of people in their
environment, and how they are coping with their
illness. She will also ask them about whether
they have any previous or current family, occupational,
psychiatric, alcohol or drug problems.
This interview typically takes place on the same
day that they meet with our transplant doctors,
nurse coordinators, administrative and clinical
assistants and our financial specialist.
Each week, the transplant team meets to review
the findings of these evaluations and to discuss
whether the patient will be asked to meet with
our transplant team psychiatrist, one of only
a handful of psychiatrists in the United States
who specializes in the evaluation and treatment
of liver transplant patients.
The role of our transplant psychiatrist is to
provide guidance or treatment recommendations
that strengthen each patient's chances of being
placed on the liver transplant waiting list, and,
ultimately, to maintain the health and happiness
of the patient after they have received their
transplant. Our psychiatrist works collaboratively
with our patients and people in their support
network and the entire transplant team to make
this goal a reality.
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