The human body has many organs that perform important functions. When our organs don’t work properly, we face problems that can cause difficulties. Our largest internal organ is our liver, which performs some of the most important functions of our body. In this article, we will learn all about liver transplantation. Liver transplantation is the surgery of removing a no longer functioning liver and replacing it with a healthy liver.
What Is Liver Transplantation?
Liver Transplantation is one of the common surgeries. In this type of surgery, the aim is to replace a diseased liver with a healthy one, and it is mainly for people who have severe liver damage.
The number of people who need liver transplantation across the world is significantly high, and many people are registered on a waiting list for this surgery.
Liver donation is possible for everyone because you can also give a portion of your liver to a diseased patient. It has a regenerative ability and can grow to a normal size after transplantation.
Why Do People Do Liver Transplantation?
Liver transplantation surgery has many reasons. People with liver failure or a diseased liver do liver transplantation to achieve a higher quality of life. Liver failure or liver disease can happen for a variety of causes.
What is Liver Transplantation?
Cirrhosis is one of the most common causes, which is advanced scarring of the liver due to chronic liver diseases. Liver diseases can be distinguished into several types, such as hepatitis B and C, alcohol abuse, or non-alcoholic fatty.
Liver cancer, acute liver failure, and genetic disorders can also be the cause of liver malfunction, leading to the need for liver transplantation.
Liver Transplantation Types
Liver Transplantation is categorized into two main types, which we will read in the following: deceased donor transplantation and living donor transplantation.
Deceased Donor Transplantation
Deceased donor transplantation is the most common type of liver transplantation, involving the harvesting of the liver from someone who wants to make an organ donation. People who have suffered a brain death and have a viable organ are the usual donors for this type of liver transplantation.
Before liver transplantation, the donor should be matched with recipients based on factors such as blood type, size, and medical urgency.
Liver Transplantation Types
Living Donor Transplantation
Another type of liver surgery or liver transplantation is the donation of a living human. In this type, the donor donates a portion of his/her liver to someone in need, who, in most cases, is a close family member or a friend.
As we mentioned, the liver has regenerative ability, and within a few months, it can grow back to a normal size, so there aren’t any worries regarding the issue.
These are the two main liver transplantation types. The second type can reduce waiting times and have better outcomes for both the patient and the donor.
Liver Transplantation Recovery
The recovery after liver transplantation is an important part of surgery. It is considered to be the most critical phase and needs careful management to get better outcomes. Immediate post-operative care and hospital stay are the first steps after the surgery.
Being monitored in the ICU is vital to observing signs and functions. From 5 to 10 days, patients should stay at the hospital for medical care and to have better recovery progress.
In these times, blood tests and other tests are performed regularly to monitor the function of the body and the liver. After these phases, patients should adopt their long-term recovery.
Liver Transplantation Risks
Although it seems a simple surgery, as with any other type of surgery, it has risks and complications. These risks should be considered before any actual surgery. For example, the surgical risks of this transplantation should be clear for patients.
Infection, bleeding, and bile leaks are the common surgical risks of liver transplantation. Blood loss and the leak of liver and bile, which are connected, should be examined during the surgery. Moreover, patients may face rejection of the new liver.
The rejection comes in two forms: acute rejection and chronic rejection. Acute rejection happens shortly after the surgery, and the body recognizes the new liver as a foreign organ, showing resistance.
Liver Transplantation Success Rate
The Liver Transplantation success rate has increased in recent years due to developments in surgical techniques and better technological tools.
Liver Transplantation Success Rate
The average success rate for liver transplantation is approximately 80 to 90 percent for a one-year survival rate. On the other hand, the five-year survival rates range from 70 to 80 percent. These results show that most liver transplantations have an ideal success rate.
Interestingly, liver transplantation surgery can take up to 12 hours, and the minimum hours for this surgery is six hours, depending on the complexity of the case, etc.
Liver Transplantation in Iran
Liver transplantation in Iran is very common, and it has an economic cost (compared to other destinations in the world) for foreigners ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 Grands. Featuring great doctors and medical centers that are under the regulation of the government, Iran has become a good destination for patients with liver disease.
The well-established transplant centers in Iran cater to the needs of patients greatly and showcase the commitment of the nation to developing global healthcare.
You can find many transplant centers in major cities, including Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, and Mashhad. Tehran and Shiraz are the most common cities featuring the best medical centers and transplant centers.
Iranian doctors are also well-known for their advanced surgical techniques, which is very important if you want to undergo transplantation surgery, especially a liver transplant. Iranian transplant centers are known for registering more than 1,500 liver transplants every year.
In general, Iran can stand out as a transplantation center in the Middle East and compete with some of the well-developed countries.
Liver Transplantation Cost in Iran
The expense of liver transplantation in Iran is more affordable than in various European nations. The cost in Iran for liver transplantation ranges from 20,000 to 40,000 USD, and this is the reason why many patients choose this destination for a liver transplant.
Liver Transplantation Cost in Iran
This cost can be divided into many details, such as the surgeon’s fee and the hospital fee. The cost of liver transplantation in some countries ranges from 200,000 to 600,000 USD.
Moreover, the medical teams in Iran are specialized and talented, attracting many patients from all around the world for the great cost and great doctors.
Liver Transplantation Costs in Other Countries
The costs for liver transplantation surgery are different in various countries. For example, in countries such as the United States of America, Germany, Canada, and the United Kingdom, the cost of liver transplantation is very high and is not affordable for many people.
On the other hand, in countries such as Iran, Turkey, Mexico, and India, the price of liver transplantation is relatively lower compared to Canada, Germany, the United States, etc.
The price of liver transplantation in Turkey, Iran, India, and Mexico starts from 30,000 USD to 80,000 USD.
How to Prepare for a Liver Transplantation?
To prepare for liver transplantation, the first thing to do is to choose your surgical destination. In other words, you should make your decision about the price of the surgery and consider the waiting list for getting a new liver.
After these steps, you will go through a comprehensive assessment and evaluation by a team of doctors. Completing tests such as blood tests, imaging, and CT scans are also essential.
Later, you can learn more about this surgery and educate yourself to learn more about lifestyle modifications before or after the surgery.
Liver Transplantation Surgery
Lastly, it is advised to consider a counseling group or a support network for this surgery, as it can be stressful for some people.
How Is Life After a Liver Transplant?
After the surgery and the recovery phase, life is better. The quality of life is significantly improved after a liver transplant. However, this good quality of life comes with challenges and new responsibilities.
For instance, having a good diet and avoiding smoking is one of the things that patients must do. Overall, many patients can experience an improvement in their general health and energy levels.
Regular follow-up appointments and medication management are essential for improving health conditions and preventing organ rejection. So, a liver transplant can be the ideal way to get rid of a diseased liver and have a better life.
What Is the Maximum Age for a Liver Transplant?
The maximum age for a liver transplant is not defined by any medical group or researchers. Hence, it very depends on the individual and the patient’s overall health condition. However, in the field of medical treatments, it is very rare to offer someone greater than 70 years old a liver transplant. Also, some transplant programs consider an age limit and certain medical conditions.
It is very rare for people over 60 to have a liver transplant, but in the end, it depends on the medical and health conditions of any individual.
Liver Transplantation Facts
- The liver is the largest glandular organ. It is also the second largest organ overall in the body.
- The liver stores vitamins (A, E, and K) and minerals.
- Iran, Turkey, and Mexico are some of the best destinations for a liver transplant, with a good cost and talented medical teams.
- Liver transplantation can take 6 to 12 hours of surgery.
- If you have liver cancer or have major heart, lung, or nerve disease, you cannot go under a liver transplantation.
- After a portion of the liver is removed for a liver transplant, it grows to its original size within 2 to 3 months.
Liver Transplantation Facts
Healthy Suggestions
Before liver transplantation, you should follow some suggestions. Dietary changes and lifestyle modifications are essential for having a good surgery. Limiting sodium and consuming balanced nutrition are the main steps of dietary changes.
Avoiding alcohol and quitting smoking are also necessary. Exercising and achieving a healthy weight based on your height are also great.
After the surgery, following a healthy diet is still a part of the game. Having regular exercise and physical activity is also a great help for living healthily and improving your quality of life.
Final Words
One of the most common types of transplantation is liver transplantation. The liver is considered the largest internal organ of the human body and has critical functions that help our body. Processing nutrients, medications, and hormones and producing bile is one of our liver’s most important jobs. A liver transplant can benefit a lot of people who have liver diseases and face many problems in their lives.
