[Liver transplantation from a living donor: necessity or an alternative?].
Liver transplantations using a part of the liver from a living donor are already being performed around the world. The main arguments for performing such transplantations are the shortage of brain-dead donors and the consequently high mortality rate of patients on the waiting list for a liver transplantation. The disadvantages of this option are the mortality and morbidity risk for the living donor. The shortage of brain-dead donors could also be resolved by the implementation of special techniques such as split-liver and domino-liver transplantations or by using compromised and non-heart-beating donors. Furthermore, measures should be taken to reduce the shortage of brain-dead donors in the Netherlands. If such actions do not lead to an increase in the number of brain-dead donors and a willingness to restrict the indications for transplantation is not forthcoming then donation for liver transplantation by living donors is inevitable. Such a program should satisfy certain conditions and have the requisite medical-ethical and public support.
Slooff
M J
MJ
Academisch Ziekenhuis Groningen, afd. Chirurgie, sectie Hepatobiliaire Chirurgie en Levertransplantatie, Postbus 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen. m.j.h.slooff@chir.azg.nl
D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D019520:Living Donors / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D014850:Waiting Lists