How to Donate a Liver for a Hepatitis C Patient
One of the leading reasons for liver transplantation in the U.S., hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease spread when infected blood enters the body, most commonly through intravenous drug use. It is a serious disease than can result in long-term health problems, or even death.
Most liver transplants use the entire liver from a deceased donor for the transplant, but live donor transplantation, which uses a portion of the liver from a living donor, is becoming more popular. Becoming a living donor for a hepatitis C patient can be very rewarding, but it can be a complicated process.
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Things You'll Need
- Healthy liver
- Blood & urine tests
- MRI of the abdomen
- Psychological screening
- Additional pre-surgery exams, such as angiograms, x-rays and/or EKGs
Instructions
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Determine if you are a good potential donor
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1
Contact a reputable hospital with a well-run living liver donation program. The United Network for Organ Sharing is the non-profit organization that governs organ transplantation in the United States.
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2
Make sure you are in good physical health, and not pregnant or overweight. You must refrain from smoking for at least six weeks prior to the surgery.
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3
Be confident that you are willing to undergo major surgery, and endure the pain of surgical recovery. The hospital organ donor coordinator will talk to you to make sure that you have not been coerced into donating your liver.
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4
Undergo a battery of evaluation tests to determine your organ's compatibility with the patient.
The Operation
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5
Bank blood for yourself in advance of the surgery, just in case you need blood either during or after the donation surgery.
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Arrive at the hospital for your surgery and check in with the donation coordinator.
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Be prepped for surgery. The removal of the donated liver portion and its transplant into the hepatitis C patient occur at the same time, and can take between six to 12 hours.
Post-Operative Recovery
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Stay in the intensive care unit for 24 hours, and in the hospital for five to seven days. You will probably be able to walk two to three days after the donation.
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Recover at home for one month. After that time, you may begin to return to your daily activities, including work, on a part-time basis, for another two to four weeks.
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See your doctor regularly after the donation, to ensure that there are no post-operative complications.
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Tips & Warnings
After surgery to donate part of your liver, the remaining part will begin to regenerate very quickly, with most of the regeneration taking place in the first two weeks.
As with any surgery, there are risks of rare complications. Be sure to discuss this procedure and any potential risks with your doctor and the hospital organ donation coordinator.
