Liver transplantation in a patient at psychosocial risk.
Psychosocial assessment of transplant candidates is a challenging task. Securing adequate information is made more difficult when patients present with fulminant hepatic failure. When the patient cannot be interviewed and the family is reluctant to provide vital information, a comprehensive pretransplant psychosocial evaluation is virtually impossible. However, even the most difficult cases have the potential for a positive result when a good psychosocial profile of the patient is obtained after transplantation, a team treatment plan is developed and carried out which addresses current and anticipated problems, and the patient obtains mental health treatment.
Nazih Zuhdi Transplantation Institute, Oklahoma City, Okla., USA.
J
J
Carlson
L
L
Potter
S
S
Pennington
B
B
Nour
A
A
Sebastian
W
W
Paris
D000328:Adult; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012944:Social Support