for Veterans and the Public
Liver transplants are considered only when a patient might die from liver disease. This is sometimes the case when a patient has liver cancer or when someone has advanced liver disease and the liver has stopped functioning properly. Being considered for a liver transplant does not mean that a patient is in danger of dying right away.
Liver transplantation is a long process that involves a lot of medical care. After a transplant, a patient needs lifelong drugs to keep the body from rejecting the new liver, and lifelong follow-up care from a specialist. Survival rates after a transplant are higher than 90% at 1 year, and patients usually have a good quality of life after their recovery.
For more information, go to Liver Transplant tutorial.