Although the liver is able to regenerate and heal itself in the case of minor to moderate damage, severe injury to the liver can cause it to fail. If this occurs, the only effective treatment is a liver transplant. Organ transplantation is a risky...
Liver transplant surgery removes a diseased and failing organ and replaces it with a healthy, functional whole liver or partial liver. These organs must be harvested from a recently deceased donor or, in the case of a partial liver donation, from...
Nearly 6,300 people received liver transplants in the United States between July 2008 and June 2009, according to UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing. Of those, UNOS statistics indicate that 88.6 percent survived one year after transplant,...
According to Gastroenterology Consultants PC, liver transplantation is most commonly performed in adults due to cirrhosis, and in children due to biliary atresia. Cirrhosis is a condition that causes liver cells to die, while biliary atresia...
More than 100,000 people are hospitalized each year for chronic liver disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of those suffering from liver disease will undergo a liver transplant. Malnutrition prior to...
Patient who undergo a liver transplant often suffer from malnutrition and weight loss before the operation. After liver transplant, patients generally eat normally and do not need large amounts of vitamins and minerals in the form of supplements...
When a patient's liver is failing and all medical treatments have ceased working, the next step may be a liver transplant. The patient receiving the transplant must meet certain criteria before she can get a new liver match.
Approximately 6,500 people received new livers in the United States in 2005, according to the American Liver Foundation. Around 14 percent of transplant patients need new livers because of alcoholic cirrhosis. Alcoholism ranks as the second most...
A liver transplant is a surgical procedure in which a diseased or damage liver is replaced with a healthy liver from a donor. Several conditions may warrant liver transplantation including cirrhosis, biliary atresia and liver cancer. A liver...
Rejection of a liver after transplant occurs because the recipient's cells recognize the donor's cells as foreign and attack the new liver. Immunosuppressant medications are given after transplant to keep the immune system from attacking the new...
Most liver transplant patients have to avoid certain foods after their surgery. Your dietary restrictions after liver transplant will depend to some extent on what complications, if any, you have after the surgery. Immediately following...
In order to improve your chances of a full recovery following a liver transplant surgical procedure, you can perform a few simple exercises at home before and after surgery. Maintaining muscle strength and flexibility is crucial following any...
A healthy liver cleans your blood, helps you fight infection, assists with food digestion and stores energy. When you have liver disease and your liver can no longer perform these functions, your doctor may suggest a liver transplant....
Malnutrition is common in people with liver disease, and the condition can compromise your recovery after your liver transplant. The nutritional requirements for a patient before a liver transplant should provide adequate amounts of calories and...
Because there are over 15,000 people on the waiting list for a liver, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), and many more not listed but also in need, there aren't enough donated livers for everyone. Medical centers that do...
As your liver fails, your ability to absorb nutrition from food decreases. Your liver no longer processes protein, so a low protein diet is recommended. Your diet changed to help your liver function optimally at decreased capability. However, this...
The liver is the largest organ in the body and one of the most important. Complications from liver surgeries can be life threatening. Complications may occur in some liver surgeries more than others; for example, in liver transplants, one...
Going under the knife can be frightening. If you need to have liver surgery, you should be aware that your liver is part of your digestive system, and you may be worried about how your condition will affect your eating habits. Fortunately, you...
Alcohol is processed by the liver and results in some toxic chemicals being generated. When consumed in large quantities, alcohol can result in inflammation of the liver, also known as alcoholic hepatitis, which requires treatment.
Ornithine transcarbamylase, or OTC, deficiency is an inherited disorder that occurs in approximately one of every 80,000 births, according to Genetics Home Reference. It is caused by a mutation in the OTC gene which produces a specific enzyme...
End stage liver disease occurs when the liver has sustained severe damage, usually over the course of many years, and is in the process of failing completely. Alcohol abuse and infection with the hepatitis C virus are the two leading causes of...
Alcoholic liver disease develops in people who consistently consume large amounts of alcohol. Alcohol is a harsh chemical that the liver must filter out of the blood. If the liver is constantly filtering alcohol out of the blood, it may first...
As the name indicates, fatty liver disease is the buildup of fat inside the cells of the liver. The liver is primarily responsible for fat metabolism, and small amounts of fat pose no serious risk, but excessive fat deposits can lead to...
The most amazing benefit of a healthy liver is life. Your liver is vital -- you would die without it. In fact, liver disease is one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States, and one of every 10 Americans has some form of it, according to...
Cyclosporin is FDA approved for the prevention and treatment of organ transplant rejection. In combination with other prescriptions drugs such as steroids, cyclosporine works to suppress rejection of a new heart, kidney or liver. Cyclosporine is...
Cirrhosis of the liver describes a chronic liver disease characterized by the formation of scar tissue in the liver. Because blood flows from the digestive tract directly to the liver, ingested toxins such as medications, illegal drugs and alcohol...
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is an increasingly common symptom occurring in obese and overweight teenagers. Caused primarily by excess body fat, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease occurs when fat begins to accumulate in the liver cells. While...
Fatty liver occurs from inflammation of the liver. Underlying disorders cause fatty liver. They may include too many fatty substances in the bloodstream that cause high blood cholesterol and triglycerides, diabetes, malnutrition and alcohol abuse...
Liver diseases are also called hepatic diseases. Doctors who specialize in treating them are called hepatologists. Patients might be referred to a hepatologist because they have an abnormal liver function test or are showing symptoms of liver...
Hepatitis D is an inflammation of the liver caused by viral infection. Symptoms include jaundice, nausea, and lack of appetite. Learn more about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of hepatitis D in this health video.
