Why it's done

Liver location in the human body

The liver

The liver is your largest internal organ. About the size of a football, it's located mainly in the upper right portion of your abdomen, beneath the diaphragm and above your stomach, but a small portion extends into the upper left quadrant.

Liver transplant is a treatment option for people who have end-stage liver failure that can't be controlled using other treatments and for some people with liver cancer. Liver failure can occur rapidly, in a matter of weeks (acute liver failure), or it can occur slowly over months and years (chronic liver failure).

Normal liver and liver cirrhosis

Liver cirrhosis

A normal liver (left) shows no signs of scarring. In cirrhosis (right), scar tissue replaces normal liver tissue.

Liver failure has many causes, including:

Read more about liver transplant:

  1. Definition
  2. Why it's done
  3. Risks
  4. How you prepare
  5. What you can expect
  6. Results

Appointments and Referrals

Request an appointment with a Mayo Clinic doctor to determine if transplant is right for you.