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    Reasons For Needing Liver Transplant
    Institutes of Transplant

    Reasons For Needing Liver Transplant

    In adults, the most common reason for needing a liver transplant is cirrhosis. Cirrhosis can be caused by many different types of diseases that destroy healthy liver cells and replace them with scar tissue. Some causes of cirrhosis are

    • long-term infection with the hepatitis C virus
    • drinking too much alcohol over time
    • autoimmune liver diseases
    • long-term infection with the hepatitis B virus
    • the buildup of fat in the liver
    • hereditary liver diseases
    • Other reasons for needing a liver transplant include
    • sudden liver failure, called acute liver failure, most often caused by taking too much
    • acetaminophen (Tylenol)
    • liver cancers that have not spread outside the liver

    How will I know whether I need a liver transplant?

    Your doctor will decide whether you need to go to a liver transplant center to be evaluated by a liver transplant team. The team will include liver transplant surgeons; liver specialists, called hepatologists; nurses; social workers; and other health care professionals. The transplant team will examine you and run blood tests, x rays, and other tests to help decide whether you would benefit from a transplant.

    The transplant team will also check to see if 

    • your heart, lungs, kidneys, and immune system are strong enough for surgery
    • you are mentally and emotionally ready to have a transplant
    • you have family members or friends who can care for you before and after the transplant

    Even if you are approved for a transplant, you may choose not to have it. To help you decide, the transplant team will explain the 

    • patient selection process
    • operation and recovery
    • long-term demands of living with a liver transplant, such as taking medicines for the rest of your life

    During your evaluation, and while waiting for a transplant, you should take care of your health. Your doctor will tell you what you can do to stay strong while you wait for a new liver.

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