Liver Transplant Evaluation

Chronic liver failure, also called end-stage liver disease, occurs when your liver is so damaged that it can no longer perform important tasks, such as removing toxins from your body. The causes of end-stage liver disease vary but may include:

• Alcoholic cirrhosis 
• Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency 
• Autoimmune hepatitis 
• Biliary atresia 
• Hepatitis B 
• Hepatitis C 
• Primary biliary cirrhosis 
• Sclerosing cholangitis 

Our liver transplant team will consider several factors during your evaluation. Our goals are to determine:

• The extent of your liver disease
• The health of your other body systems
• Your willingness to follow program guidelines, such as abstaining from alcohol and other drugs
• If a liver transplant is the best treatment for you

After the evaluation is complete, the liver transplant committee meets to discuss your results and determines whether a liver transplant should be your next step. The committee can make one of these decisions:

• A liver transplant is a good option for you, and you should move forward with the transplant process.
• More information is needed before they can make a decision. You may need to see more specialists or have more tests before they can decide if liver transplant is best for you.
• A liver transplant is not the best option for you at this time.

If you are a suitable candidate, your financial coordinator will work with your health insurance to seek approval for the liver transplant surgery. Once surgery is approved, you will have blood work done to determine your MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) score. This ranks your degree of sickness and how quickly you need a liver transplant. If you do not already have a living donor, your name will be placed on the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) national waiting list for liver transplantation.