Overview

Liver transplantation is needed for patients who are likely to die because of liver failure. Many diseases cause liver failure. The most common is cirrhosis, which is scarring and death of liver cells. Cirrhosis caused by Hepatitis B or C is the most common reason for liver transplants.

Other conditions which may ultimately require a liver transplant include :

• Diseases of the bile ducts, which can cause liver failure if there is backup of bile in the liver
• Some inherited diseases, such as Wilson’s disease in which dangerous levels of copper build up in the body , and hemochromatosis, where the liver is overwhelmed by iron.
• Primary liver cancer, or cancer that primarily affects only the liver.
• Alcoholism, which can cause cirrhosis.

In living donor liver transplantation, a segment of a healthy person’s liver is transplanted into the sick patient. This can be done because the liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself. Both the donated lobe of the liver and the remaining section of the donor liver will grow to a normal size within 6 weeks.

Liver failure occurs when the liver is unable to perform its normal functions. A diseased liver can result from an acute failure as a result of an infection or drug reaction. Liver disease may also result from chronic failure due to an ongoing viral infection, alcoholism, injury due to elevation in bilirubin, or an autoimmune disease. Liver failure can also result from having a primary liver cancer.

A liver normally has a great ability to heal itself and can overcome most injuries it experiences on a short-term basis. Occasionally the liver is so injured, however, that there are not enough cells left to regenerate and scar tissue forms in the liver. When all normal liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue, the liver is said to be cirrhotic and a liver transplant may be the only available option.