Liver Transplant

Candidates for Liver Transplant at Mayo Clinic

Liver transplantation involves surgically replacing the diseased liver with a new one in order to restore normal function. This promise of health comes with a risk of complications and the need for lifelong treatment with medicines to control the tendency to reject the new liver tissue. Liver transplantation is considered for people in situations such as these:

• When other medical or surgical treatment is insufficient to prevent serious problems caused by a liver disorder.
• To treat some cancerous tumors of the liver or bile ducts such as hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma.
• To correct abnormalities in metabolism that threaten long-term health and are cured by liver transplant.

Liver Diseases Leading to Transplant

The following diseases may cause a person to need a liver transplant after treatment with medication is no longer effective.

• Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Hepatitis B with cirrhosis
• Hepatitis C with cirrhosis
• Hereditary amyloidosis
• Polycystic liver disease
• Budd-Chiari disease
• Wilson's disease
• Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency
• Familial hypercholesterolemia
• Primary oxaluria
• Acute fulminant hepatic failure
• Primary hepatic tumors that are confined to the liver
• Metabolic diseases reversible with transplantation
• Alcoholic liver disease (Demonstrated abstinence from alcohol and/or drugs and a psychosocial evaluation by Mayo staff are required.)

In some situations, a liver transplant cannot be considered. The following are general examples, but the team of doctors will establish the specific criteria:

• Active infection
• Severe malnutrition or physical debility
• Disease of the heart, lungs, or kidneys
• Drug or alcohol addiction that has not been effectively treated
• Cancer that would not be cured by transplantation