Liver transplantation in Türkiye

A liver transplant can help save your life when your liver is not working. Treatment includes surgical removal of the entire cyst. It is then replaced with all or part of a healthy donor liver. A transplanted liver may come from a living or deceased donor.

What is the liver transplant process?

Having a healthy liver is essential for longevity because the liver is responsible for filtering the blood and removing toxins from the body.

 Liver transplantation is a measure of last resort for chronic (long-term) liver disease and acute (sudden-on) liver disease.

Liver transplant survival statistics

According to a study  , people who have this surgery have an 89% chance of living after one year. The five-year survival rate is 75 percent. Sometimes a transplanted liver may fail, or the original disease may return.

It is important for your doctor to monitor your recovery long after the transplant to check for any problems. You will likely need regular blood tests. According to Johns Hopkins, you’ll also need to take anti-rejection medications for a transplanted liver for the rest of your life.

Why are liver transplants done?

A doctor may recommend a liver transplant for a person with liver disease as a last resort. That is, the patient will lose his life without a transplant.
The doctor may also suggest a transplant if other treatments for liver disease aren’t enough to keep the person alive.

A liver transplant may be an option for chronic liver disease or if liver failure occurs very quickly.
Cirrhosis is the most common reason adults need a transplant. Cirrhosis replaces healthy liver tissue with dead tissue.

What are the causes of cirrhosis of the liver

• alcoholism
• Chronic hepatitis B or chronic hepatitis C
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Biliary atresia, a liver disease in newborns
• Metabolic disorders

Factors supporting the decision to have a liver transplant

The medical team will also consider other factors when determining whether you need a liver transplant, and these factors

• The severity of the condition
• Other medical conditions (other diseases)
• Tuberculosis and chronic infections such as HIV
• Your general physical condition
• your mental health
• The level of support from your family or friends

Before performing a liver transplant, the doctor will consider whether the surgery will be successful and extend the life of the patient.
A person may not be a potential transplant candidate if they have other chronic conditions that can affect the success of the KYD transplant.

Examples include a person with cancer that has spread to other parts of the body or with severe heart problems.
 Or if the person has cirrhosis from alcoholism, their ability to stop drinking is assessed as part of transplant planning.

How to find a healthy liver for a liver transplant

The source of the members are humans. The organ suitable for transplantation can be obtained from the deceased, or from among the patient’s relatives, and thus from a living donor.
 If the relatives of patients who lost their lives in intensive care conditions (brain death) make the decision to “donate organs”, in this case many patients’ lives can be saved with these organs.

 Since the number of organ donors is not enough, most patients lose their lives while waiting for a new liver. As a solution to this, it is possible to save the patient’s life by taking part of the liver of another living human being (a relative of the patient – liver transplantation from a living donor). 
For this purpose, a relative who has the same blood type as the patient volunteers to donate. A person nominated for a donation undergoes extensive review and evaluation processes. If there are no contraindications in terms of liver donation; A liver section (right or left) appropriate to the patient’s weight is obtained from the donor and placed in the corresponding patients’ liver section

Important criteria for the cultivation process

For liver transplantation, the blood type of the patient and the donor must be compatible. Then donor checks begin. This process includes social, psychological and medical assessments. 

Medical evaluation includes blood and urine tests, checking for infectious diseases, radiological examinations and consultation of other medical units ( cardiology , chest diseases, etc.).

Many factors such as the size of the liver fragment needed by the patient, the general health of the donor candidate, the ability to divide the liver appropriately and the structure of the bile ducts play a role in the possibility of an operation between the patient and the donor candidate.

Recovery from surgery

Getting a transplant is just part of the process of getting a new liver. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a three-week hospital stay is common after a liver transplant in Türkiye. During this time, the doctor will assess the success of the operation, as well as determine your needs for home care.

It may take up to a year to feel better. Tell your doctor about your mental and emotional health needs before you are discharged.

Do liver transplant patients have to use medication for the rest of their lives?

As with all transplant patients, patients who undergo liver transplantation must use medications throughout their lives in order to suppress their immune system.
This is the basic condition for successful treatment. If the drug is not used or is used only infrequently, the immune system immediately starts a war against the transplanted foreign organ, which may end up in the loss of the organ or even the life of the recipient.

Life after liver transplant

The goal of liver transplantation is to return the person to a normal, active and productive life. The goal is to return both the patient and the donor to their pre-operative levels of functioning. Liver transplants performed in the hospitals of REHABTÜRK have success rates that are higher than the international rates

Possible risks and complications of a liver transplant

The biggest risk of this operation is the failure of the operation. In such a situation, your body rejects the new liver.

Other long-term complications can include:

• bleeding
• Damage to the bile ducts
• blood clots
• Side effects of medicines taken to allow the immune system to accept the new liver, including high blood sugar

Liver health tips

After surgery, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, including regular exercise and a healthy diet. You can incorporate habits like these at any stage to boost your strength and overall health. Physical health may reduce the chances of rejection of a transplanted liver.

Liver transplantation in Türkiye

Türkiye has developed its medical capabilities to include complex and delicate surgeries, including liver transplants, making Türkiye the second center to perform these operations in the world. Dozens of liver transplant operations are performed in Türkiye every day throughout Türkiye

The success rate of liver transplantation in Türkiye ranges between 85% and 90%, despite the treatment of critical and difficult cases.

The medical staff of surgical teams, doctors and consultants in REHABTÜRK can provide the best treatment options and free consultations – by striving to keep abreast of the latest medical technologies and methods.

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