Living Donor Program: Discover the Gift of Liver Donation

“Living liver donation means giving a portion of your liver to someone in need, often a family member or friend,” explains Dr. Day. “Living donation can save a life and help the recipient get transplanted sooner.”

To better understand what a living liver donation is, let’s take a look at how it’s different from a traditional transplant. Traditional organ transplants are when the entire organ from a deceased donor is transplanted into the patient needing a new one. On the other hand, a living liver transplant only requires a portion of the liver to be removed from the living donor, which brings significant health benefits.

“While traditional liver transplants carry a 90% survival rate after one year of the procedure, living liver transplants only remove a portion of the liver and are even more successful because of the liver’s ability to regenerate in both the donor and the recipient,” explains Dr. Day. Other benefits of living liver donations include:

• Donors describe a deep sense of fulfillment and pride knowing they helped give someone they love a second chance at life
• Faster, more effective liver function in the recipient
• Possibility of lower doses of medication required after transplant if donor and recipient are a close match
• Shorter transplant wait times

Because living liver donations are life-giving procedures, there’s a strict evaluation process that must happen before the recipient receives a match, or you can qualify as a donor.

Before you can be considered as a living donor, you must be:

• 18 years or older
• In good overall health, without chronic or serious medical conditions, such as heart disease or cancer, that could increase surgical or long-term risks
• Willing to donate voluntarily, free from pressure, guilt or outside influence

Initial Steps

“Our donor evaluation process is designed to prioritize our patients’ safety and well-being,” says Dr. Day. “The process begins with a brief online or phone health questionnaire, reviewed by a living donor coordinator. If the donor appears to be a good match, they’ll move on to laboratory testing and imaging to help determine compatibility.”

The initial compatibility testing includes:

• Blood typing
• Crossmatching (compatibility testing)
• HLA typing (genetic testing)

Comprehensive Labs and Diagnostic Testing

If the donor seems to be a good match after the laboratory testing, they’ll move on to a more detailed medical evaluation, which may include:

• Chest X-ray, CT scans or MRI to evaluate lung and chest health
• Comprehensive blood tests, including screening for certain infections
• Electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram or stress tests to assess heart function

Meeting Your Liver Donor Team

“At that point, if the results show no significant medical concerns, the donor will then meet with a social worker and a living donor advocate,” says Dr. Day. Your social worker is there to support you and make sure you’re prepared for the road ahead.

Your living donor advocate is there to walk you through what to expect throughout the process, from medical testing to life after donation. Next steps include meeting with the medical donor physician and surgeon, and a CT scan and MRI of the liver so the medical team can determine the most appropriate part of the liver to donate.

Patient Review Committee

Once you’ve met every person on your team and your tests have been processed, your transplant coordinator will present your case to the Patient Review Committee. If they determine that you’re an ideal candidate for donation, a surgery can then be scheduled.

“We know you may have many questions as you go through the evaluation process, but we’ll be right by your side every step of the way,” assures Dr. Day. Your transplant coordinator will keep you informed throughout the process.