Liver Transplant Operation – What to Expect

This section is about what to expect before during and after the liver transplant operation.  Since, I have not undergone this procedure, I will be describing it from third party information, such as from other web sites, the attending physicians, and individuals.  After you have qualified for the liver transplant, in addition to packing your bags in preparation for a quick trip to the hospital, you will be waiting and waiting.  Sometimes the wait is short, while many times the wait can be a year or longer.  And this occurs only if your MELD score is around 20 or above.  My MELD score is around 14, so the active process for my liver transplant has not even started.  However, if and when the liver procurement process begins, events go pretty fast. There are no further major batteries of tests to be done, so all you have to do is accept the transplant when you get the call and head to the hospital.  I understand there is about a 3 hour window from liver procurement to the operation.  The operation itself lasts approximately 6 to 12 hours and has a high success rate in the 90% or higher range.  Five year survivability is very good too, being somewhere around the mid to upper 80% range.  I am not quite sure where the greater than 5 year survivability statistics went.  Maybe, they figure no more statistics are needed if you make it 5 years. I have talked with a liver transplant patient, who has survived over 15 years and is leading a normal life. When the liver transplant operation is completed, the first 48 hours is the most critical time.  The medical staff will be monitoring for excessive bleeding, clotting and infection. There also will be tubes and machines hooked up the liver transplant patient for the first 2 to 3 days. You can expect your stay in the hospital to last about 10 days to 2 weeks.  I have talked to patients that told me they felt much better when they woke up from the liver transplant operation.  The medications you will be taking are mainly anti-rejection and immune-suppressant drugs.  I understand they are quite expensive.  The most expensive part of the liver transplant patient is the transplant itself, however, which runs around $300,000, give or take.  When the liver transplant patient leaves the hospital, a fairly normal life can be lead with proper care and absolutely no alcohol use.  There will be follow up visits, which will be gradually decreasing in frequency as long as the liver transplant patient continues to recover normally.