A liver transplant might be considered a last resort treatment, but it is one that is proven to save a life. The most common reason to need a transplant is cirrhosis, which is a liver injury. It is known to many as developing because of alcoholism, but cancer or chronic hepatitis infections can also damage the liver. Children are also candidates for a liver transplant if they struggle with digestive issues.
Facts About Liver Transplant Survival
1. There are more than 50,000 liver transplant recipients alive today. That’s 2x the amount from just 10 years ago.
2. The 1 month survival rate of a liver graft in the United States is above 95%.
3. 30-40% of recipients will experience some complications within three months of transplant.
4. 91%. That’s the 12 month survival rate of a liver transplant recipient.
5. Liver transplant patients have an approximately 86% 1 year and 78% 3 year survival rate. Those rates are similar to heart transplant recipients.
6. The US national 5 year liver transplant survival rate increased from 56.6% in 1991 to 67.1% in 2004. It’s now hovering around 72%.
7. The 5 year survival rate for someone who receives a living donor transplant: 78%.
8. More than 17,000 people are currently waiting for a liver transplant in the United States.
9. Patient survival is significantly better in children, in female recipients, and in patients who received transplants after 1990.
10. Under azathioprine, corticosteroid, and antilymphocyte globulin therapy between 1967 and 1980, 170 liver transplants were performed at the University of Colorado, with a 1-year survival rate of 30%.
11. The most common cause of death after a liver transplant: infection, resulting in 28.4% of fatalities.
12. For patients with hepatitis C, recurrence of the hepatitis causing damage to the new liver is the most common reason for the new liver to fail. This may also happen with hepatitis B, but is not as common.
13. There is a 30% risk of recurrence if the liver transplant was performed because of the presence of any stage of cancer.
14. 50% of those who will die as a result of their liver transplant will do so within the first year of the transplant. The death rate after 2 years was 1% to 4% per year.
15. The rate of retransplantation has reduced from 33% to 13% since the procedure first began.
16. In a study of 4,000 liver transplant recipients, about 1 in 4 needed to have at least a second transplant. Five people received more than 4 liver transplant operations.
17. A liver surgery may take up to 12 hours to complete.
18. About 6,000 liver transplants happen per year because of the low number of available organs, but that number is growing.
19. In a living donor transplant, the donor will have 40-60% of their liver removed. It takes donors about 2 months to recover from the surgery.
20. Every year, more than 1,500 people die waiting for a donated liver to become available.
Advances have made it possible to potentially cure genetic disorders and long-term diseases through the transplantation of the liver. As long as someone can refrain from drinking alcohol and stick with their treatment plan, they will be considered a viable candidate if there is a need for a new organ. The statistics show that although this is a major surgery, it is one that is turning out to be very successful.
A Liver Transplant Is Not an Immediate Fix
Although long-term illness can be cured with a liver transplant, that doesn’t mean a recipient is going to get back on their feet immediately. It usually takes at least 6 months for someone to get back on their feet and feel like resuming their normal activities. There is a direct correlation to how ill someone is to how fast they can recover from the surgery.
People who receive a liver transplant will be taking medication for the rest of their life. These immunosuppressants are required to prevent the body from attacking the new liver. Most will spend 5-10 days in the hospital recovering from the surgery and then a period of frequent checkups at home will be required as well. Survival rates have been increasing over the last 20 years to the point that a large majority of recipients are making it to the 5- and 10-year survival mark.
What will liver transplants look like in 2020 and beyond? The facts show that survival rates could be even higher.