Liver Transplant
Truly a medical achievement, organ transplantation surgery can give you a new lease on life. If your liver has stopped functioning on its own, a transplant can be a positive solution offering you many years of healthy living.
At Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence, we have recruited transplant specialists with decades of experience to care for you or your loved one. We’ll guide you through the entire transplant process and support you in every way.
Why do people need liver transplants?
People with end-stage liver disease, acute liver failure and liver tumors are potential candidates for liver transplants. Becoming a candidate requires extensive testing from multiple specialties to make sure you are medically and physically fit to undergo the lengthy transplant procedure.
How do I get referred to the transplant program?
You will be considered for a liver transplant after referral from a hepatologist or Opens in new tab through self-referral. You may also be accepted through emergency departments and hospitals in the region if the situation calls for emergent evaluation. Mostly, transplants are only discussed if you have a very high risk of succumbing to your illness in six months to a year.
How do I get on the transplant list?
Everyone must be evaluated for appropriateness for transplant candidacy, and not everyone will be placed on the transplant waiting list.
If you are eligible and approved for a liver transplant, you’ll be given tests that result in a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. This estimates your chances of surviving your disease during the next three months. Organ allocation is determined by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Livers from deceased donors are allocated first to the sickest patients (those with the highest MELD score).
You must be on the transplant list to receive a transplant, regardless of the type of donor. You have the right and the ability to be on wait lists at multiple transplant centers in the U.S.