A liver transplant replaces a failing or diseased liver with a healthy donor liver so the body can return to normal liver function.

Common reasons include advanced chronic liver disease (cirrhosis) with complications, sudden (acute) liver failure, certain liver cancers that cannot be removed, and some inherited metabolic liver disorders.

Donors can be a deceased person who donated their whole liver or a living donor who gives a portion of their liver. Living donation is common when deceased organs are scarce.

You will have a full medical checkup, heart and lung tests, infection screening, cancer staging if needed, psychological and social assessment, and a scoring test to determine transplant priority.

The surgeon removes the diseased liver and implants the donor liver or liver segment. Major blood vessels and the bile duct are connected so the new liver can receive blood and drain bile.

You will receive medicines to suppress the immune system so the body does not reject the new liver, be closely monitored for infections and organ function, and follow a rehabilitation plan that includes nutrition and physiotherapy.

Hospital stay and early recovery vary by patient but expect intensive monitoring in hospital for days to weeks, then months of followup and medication adjustments at home.

Early risks include bleeding, blood clots to the graft vessels, bile leaks, infection, or the graft not working. Longterm issues can include rejection, infections from immunosuppression, and medication side effects.