How Liver Transplant Works

How Liver Donation Works

How Living Liver Donation Works

Roughly 4.5 million American adults have liver disease. And nearly 10,000 are waiting on a liver transplant. Unfortunately, the number of people awaiting a liver transplant has been greater than the supply of deceased donor livers for decades.

As a liver donor, you can help someone before they get seriously sick. At Emory Healthcare, our expert transplant surgeons offer this procedure to patients with liver disease, regardless of their MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) score.

Here’s what you need to know about being a living liver donor.

How Liver Transplant Works

The Benefits of Living Donor Liver Donation

Your liver is your only solid organ that can regenerate. That means you can donate up to half of your liver to someone who needs a transplant. After surgery, your liver and the recipient’s new partial liver will grow nearly to full size within three months. Compared to liver transplants from deceased donors, living donor liver transplants offer several benefits:

  • Livers from living donors are more likely to survive and immediately start working after transplantation.
  • Livers from living donors work better. They also have greater long-term success than livers from deceased donors.
  • Living donation shortens wait times for recipients.

How To Become a Living Liver Donor

You may want to donate part of your liver to a loved one or friend. Or you may want to help someone who is sick. Either way, registration is the first step to becoming a living liver donor. One of our transplant team representatives will call you within two days after you register.

If you are approved as a donor, we will schedule the transplant within four to six weeks. Scheduling the procedure so far out gives you plenty of time to prepare and plan your recovery.

Register To Be a Living Liver Donor
If you would like to become a living liver donor, the first step in the process is to register.

What To Expect from Living Donor Liver Surgery

Before surgery, our transplant surgeons calculate the amount of your liver that you can donate. After surgery, you and the recipient need enough liver to maintain normal body functions.

You will be under general anesthesia during transplant surgery, so you will not feel or remember anything. During the procedure, you and the recipient will be in operating rooms next to each other.

Your surgery will start first. Your surgeon will divide your liver. Once they remove part of your liver, the recipient’s surgery team will immediately transplant it into the recipient.

After surgery, you will stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for monitoring and recovery. Most donors stay in the hospital for three to seven days. A full recovery usually takes six to eight weeks. During that time, you will have several check-ups with your doctor.

Surgery Risks During a Liver Donation

Transplant surgery comes with risks. As a liver donor, you may experience: 

  • Allergic reactions to anesthesia
  • Bile leakage or bile duct problems
  • Bleeding that may require a transfusion
  • Blood clots
  • Hernia
  • Infection
  • Nausea
  • Organ damage
  • Pain and discomfort
  • Pneumonia
  • Scar tissue formation
In rare cases, liver failure can occur. If this happens, you may need a liver transplant.

Recovery from Donating Your Liver

Recovering from transplant surgery takes up to eight weeks. During that time, you will need to:
  • Follow up with your transplant team for routine check-ups and lab tests
  • Limit lifting for the first several weeks
  • Slowly return to your normal activities
  • Walk several times a day

Your transplant team is always available if you experience any complications.
Requirements To Be a Living Liver Donor
To be a living liver donor, you must fulfill many requirements. You will also need to take several tests. After your tests are complete, our liver transplant team will discuss your results in a private conference. They will determine your risk level and decide if you and the recipient are a good match. Then, we will schedule your surgery.

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