Living liver donation
Get a deeper dive into living liver donation and what to expect as the donor and recipient.
A living liver donor transplant is a surgery where part of the donor’s liver is removed. It is placed into someone whose liver is no longer working the right way.
The donor’s remaining liver regrows and returns to near its normal size, volume, and capacity within a couple of weeks after surgery. At the same time, the transplanted liver portion grows and restores normal liver function in the recipient.
Liver donation surgery
The procedure can take four to six hours to complete and removes about half of your liver.
Often the donor and recipient surgeries often happen at or near the same time. Most living liver donors stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) for one to two days and then recover in the transplant unit. You will receive post-surgery care instructions before being sent home
After liver donation surgery
Your time off from work or school after surgery depends on the physical demands of your job.
You will have follow-up appointments in the clinic one to two weeks after the operation for a checkup and lab work. Following appointments will be scheduled as needed based on any symptoms. Transplant centers must report living liver donor follow-up data at six, 12, and 24 months after surgery.
Your care team will continue to follow you closely. It’s recommended that you have your blood pressure checked every six months and test your liver function once a year for life.
Risks and side effects of liver donation
Removing part of your liver is a big operation and comes with risks and potential side effects.
Short-term risks
- Pain Bleeding from surgery
- Pneumonia
- Blood clots in your legs that could move to your lungs
- Injury to surrounding tissues or other organs when the liver is taken out
- Infections in the wound or deeper near the liver
- Risk from anesthesia
Long-term risks
- Leakage of bile from the cut surface of the liver or bile duct
- Liver failure from leaving too little liver behind
- A blood vessel problem
- Death
Psychological effects
- Being worried about what might happen to your donated liver after transplantation
- Issues with body image due to scarring
- Issues with health insurance in the future