Risk to the Living Liver Donor
The majority of adult-to-adult living donor liver
transplants involve removing the liver's right
side. This represents approximately 60 percent
of the entire liver mass, however we know that
the liver can grow back to its normal size and
functioning within 2-3 weeks after surgery.
The specific risks are similar to other major
surgical procedures of the liver. These include:
- Bleeding, infection, complications from general
anesthesia.
- The possibility of complications of the bile
duct, such as bile leaks, which may require
reoperation, or scarring of the bile ducts later
on that may require surgery or an invasive procedure.
- Common risks associated with blood transfusion.
- There are reported extremely rare cases in
which the donor's liver function is inadequate
following the procedure. This could result in
the donor needing a liver transplant.
- Some deaths have occurred throughout the world,
but to the best of our knowledge the risk is
less than 1%.
- At present, there is not enough information
or follow-up from the number of adult living
donor liver transplants worldwide to accurately
predict the risks. Present experience has proven
that the operation can be performed with a low
complication rate.
At the Penn Liver Transplant Program, a specialized
team of transplant surgeons is dedicated to the
donor operation. This team of specialists is committed
to returning the donor to a full function and
healthy life.
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