What to Expect: Liver Transplant Preparation
You receive comprehensive care right up until the day of your transplant. Here’s what to expect:
- Liver transplant evaluation
- Early access to a care provider to monitor your condition
- Frequent follow up with hepatologists and nurse practitioners
Liver transplant evaluation
The first step in your liver transplant journey is an evaluation. Our goal is to determine whether you qualify for a transplant and the severity of your disease.
Your evaluation may include:
- A detailed health history helps us identify any other health conditions or unhealthy habits you may need help with before your transplant, such as smoking.
- Blood tests help us determine the health of your liver and give us a general idea of what conditions may have contributed to your liver failing. Learn more about liver disease testing.
- Imaging tests show whether you have liver cancer and help us measure precise levels of liver damage.
- Cardiac evaluation and pulmonary evaluation helps us diagnose liver disease complications affecting your heart and lungs. Some people are at risk for poor blood supply (ischemia) to the heart or increased pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension).
- Psychiatry consult lets us know how well you are coping with your condition. Our team includes a dedicated transplant psychiatrist who works with you to identify needs for additional support.
- An education session with one of our transplant nurse coordinators helps you and your family to learn more about what to expect before, during, and after your transplant procedure. This is also a good time to ask questions.
- Financial counseling helps you understand your insurance coverage and out of pocket expenses.
Determining your eligibility for transplant
After your evaluation, we determine whether you are eligible for a transplant. With a limited supply of donor organs, our goal is to make sure the patients:
- Definitely need a transplant, meaning all other treatments have failed to halt the progression of liver disease
- Have a strong likelihood of surviving the transplant procedure
- Are motivated to take good care of their new liver, including adopting a healthy lifestyle and taking medications every day for life
Our Liver Transplant Selection Committee meets twice weekly to discuss individual cases. A dedicated liver transplant nurse coordinator lets you know what happens next:
- If you are eligible: We put your name on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list and continue providing care and support until a donor liver becomes available.
- If you are not eligible: We let you know whether there is anything you can do to improve your chances for eligibility in the future, such as giving up alcohol or taking care of an existing medical condition.
Staying as healthy as possible
We deliver comprehensive care to help you while waiting for a liver transplant.
Your care may include:
- Medication and treatments for other health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes
- Thoughtful care and coordination with other Stanford specialists, if you need more than one organ transplant, such as kidney transplant or lung transplant
- Ongoing care for existing liver conditions, including hepatitis C treatment, which can optimize your remaining liver functioning
Monitoring your condition
We monitor any changes in your condition through regular clinic visits and frequent, open communication with our transplant nurses.
Your care may include:
- Blood tests to assess your liver function
- Support from dedicated pharmacists to help you know which medications you need to take and make sure you have access to refills, when needed
- Imaging studies to monitor the progression of your liver disease
- Support to help you stay on track with eating a healthy diet and staying active
- Hospital visits and follow up to hospital stays