86 percent still alive 1 year after surgery. 78 percent still alive 3 years after surgery. 72 percent still alive 5 years after the surgery. 53 percent still alive 20 years after the surgery.
Liver transplant can have excellent outcomes. Recipients have been known to live a normal life over 30 years after the operation.
In general, about 75% of people who undergo liver transplant live for at least five years. That means that for every 100 people who receive a liver transplant for any reason, about 75 will live for five years and 25 will die within five years.
Funni has survived for nearly 40 years. … Patients like Patti Funni inspire and give hope to other people facing challenging illness.” So much more hope has been given to others who have had liver transplants through Funni, who used to host “liver parties,” where she'd gather others who had liver transplants.
The overall graft survival rates at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 18 years were 70%, 59%, 49%, 44%, and 41%.
One reason for this is that older adults with liver disease often have many other health challenges which make recovery from transplant surgery more difficult. However, researchers have recently reported successful liver transplants in older adults—even in people who are in their 80's.
Overall, infections are the most frequent cause of mortality in males and females, though they are significantly higher in females. In our cohort, the main causes of mortality within the first year after transplantation were infections and surgical complications in both sexes.
A transplanted liver may be more sensitive to damage by chemicals, including alcohol. The transplantation team recommends that recipients avoid overuse of alcoholic beverages after transplantation.
Retransplantation is a therapeutic option when a first liver graft fails. The second operation is technically more complex, and survival is shorter than that of the first graft, but in some cases it is the only treatment option for the patient.
Very common longer-term risks
The most common infections are chest or urine infections. These are usually fairly straightforward to treat with antibiotic tablets. Infections inside the liver transplant itself can be harder to treat.
Most patients can return to a normal or near-normal activity and participate in fairly vigorous exercise six to 12 months after successful liver transplant surgery. Often, we let patients return to work and drive as little as two to three months after liver transplantation.
The duration of liver transplant surgery depends on how complex your case is. On average, the surgery can take between 6-12 hours.
The thinking then — and among proponents of the practice today — was that six months of abstinence gave a patient's liver time to heal and, thus, avoid a transplant. If that didn't work, the patient would have proven they can stay sober and would not return to drinking after a transplant.
If your recovery is going well, after 6-8 weeks, you will usually be encouraged to start moderate exercise. This could be walking, jogging, swimming or cycling. Most sports and activities are possible but you should avoid heavy contact sports (rugby, martial arts, boxing) as these risk damaging your transplanted organ.
The long-term outlook for a liver transplant is generally good. More than 9 out of every 10 people are still alive after 1 year, around 8 in every 10 people live at least 5 years, and many people live for up to 20 years or more.
Common mental health changes include:
As many as 1 in 3 people who have had a liver transplant may have some of the mental health changes listed above. Mental health concerns are more common in people who have medical complications or medication side effects.
Potential liver donors must not have any serious medical conditions, such as liver disease, diabetes, heart disease or cancer. To become a live liver donor, you must: Be a willing adult between age 18 and 60. Be prepared to commit to the pre-donation evaluation process, surgery and recovery.
It happens when your immune system recognises the liver as coming from a different person and thinks it isn't supposed to be there. Rejection can still occur even if you're taking all of your medicines. If you don't take your medicines as prescribed, the risks of rejection are higher.
It is a major operation and comes with surgical risks, like bleeding. Infections and bile duct complications are common after a liver transplant. You will need to take strong medicines to suppress your immune system. You may need further surgery to fix any problems.
A whole liver may be transplanted, or just part of one. In most cases the healthy liver will come from an organ donor who has just died. Sometimes a healthy living person will donate part of their liver.
Cirrhosis is a late stage of liver disease where the liver is severely scarred but may still be able to perform its function to support life. When the liver is no longer able to perform its work adequately, its goes into liver failure. Most patients who develop chronic liver failure have underlying cirrhosis.
If your MELD or PELD score is very high, you will have very high priority for a transplant. MELD scores range from 6 (least sick) to 40 (most sick). PELD scores may range lower or higher than MELD scores. Your score may go up or down over time as your liver disease either worsens or improves.