Overview of the indications and contraindications for liver transplantation.
Liver transplantation is the only definitive treatment option for patients with irrevocable acute or chronic liver failure. In the last four decades, liver transplantation has developed from an experimental approach with a very high mortality to an almost routine procedure with good short- and long-term survival rates. Here, we present an up-to-date overview of the indications and contraindications for liver transplantation. It is shown how the evaluation of a candidate and finally listing for transplantation has to be performed in a multidisciplinary setting. Meticulous listing, timing, and organ allocation are the crucial factors to achieve an optimal outcome for the individual patient on the one hand, and reasonably using the limited deceased donor pool on the other hand. Living-donor liver transplantation is demanding but necessarily increasing. Because patients after liver transplantation need lifelong aftercare, it is important for primary care clinicians to understand the basic medical problems and risks.
Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany.
Stefan
S
Farkas
Christina
C
Hackl
Hans Jürgen
HJ
Schlitt
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D002908:Chronic Disease; D000075202:Contraindications; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D019520:Living Donors; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D014019:Tissue Donors