There are parts of our bodies that sometimes fail us. Modern medicine and doctors have the opportunity to give people a healthier life. Our doctors at Gastroenterology Consultants of Central Florida perform liver transplant evaluations. Today, we will share reasons why a person may require a liver transplant.
Functions of the liver:
Liver transplants may be a matter of survival or improved quality of life. A liver transplant is a surgical procedure that removes a liver that no longer functions properly. The state of an inadequate liver is called liver failure.
Doctors replace the failing liver with a healthy liver from a living or deceased donor. The liver is the largest internal organ. It performs multiple critical functions for the body.
The liver removes bacteria and toxins from the blood. It regulates infections and regulates immune responses. Livers processes nutrients, hormones, and medications.
A liver produces bile which assists the body with absorbing fats, fat-soluble vitamins, and cholesterol. It also performs a critical function of making proteins that help clot the blood. This is necessary for a multitude of situations such as a gash.
A liver transplant is usually never the option for first stages of liver disease. Liver transplants are most commonly reserved for people who have significant complications because of end-stage chronic liver disease. In very rare cases, a previously normal liver may fail after being transplanted.
The process of getting a new liver is thorough. There are not enough deceased-donor livers to keep up with the number of people waiting for a liver transplant. Because of this, modern medicine uses transplants provided by living donors.
Types of liver donors:
Although this may sound like a frightening, sci-fi movie, it is sometimes the only option for people waiting for a liver transplant. A living, human donor’s liver returns to its original size shortly after part of the organ is surgically removed. The living-donor option is an alternative to waiting for a deceased-donor liver to become available.
Among both adults and children in 2014, about 7,200 liver transplants were performed in the United States. Only 330 of those were livers from living donors. During that year, about fifteen thousand people were registered on the waiting list for a liver transplant.
Surgeons, doctors, transplant nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and other health professionals come together to be at hand for a person receiving a liver transplant, both during and after. This team is meant to provide quality care and attention for physical and emotional support during a stressful time. There are facilities that have all of professional needed all in one location.
Gastroenterology Consultants of Central Florida can discuss their referrals to you as we do not perform liver transplants. We handle liver transplant evaluations. Make an appointment today if you have signs of liver disease.
Why would someone need a liver transplant?:
Liver transplant is an option for conditions that cannot be controlled with treatments. Liver failure may happen abruptly or over a long period of time. Acute liver failure is liver failure that happens quickly, more specifically in a matter of weeks.
Medial professional refer to is as fulminant hepatic failure. This is usually a result of medication-induded liver injury. Be careful to read the information about each medication you are taking. Many cannot be taken with others because it can cause damage to the liver.
A liver transplant may treat acute liver failure, but most often, it is used to treat chronic liver failure. Chronic is a term used for an ailment happening for months or even years. A variety of conditions may cause chronic liver failure.
The most common cause of liver failure is cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is the scarring of the liver. This is a process in which scar tissue replaces the normal liver tissue and impairs liver function. Cirrhosis is the most frequently reported reason for liver transplants.
Cirrhosis is causes by a handful of things. First off, Hepatitis B and C, genetic diseases, alcoholic liver disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are among the top causes for liver failure. Diseases which affect the bile ducts are also major causes of cirrhosis. Biliary atresia is the most common reason why a child needs a liver transplant.
Next time, we will discuss what the liver transplant evaluation entails. Please make an appointment today if you or your loved one shows signs of liver failure or may need a liver transplant. Thank you for stopping by once again!
Staff Writer