Diagnosing the need for a liver transplant involves a thorough evaluation by medical professionals, often starting with a comprehensive medical history and physical examination. Here’s an overview of the diagnostic process:

1. Medical History and Physical Examination: Medical professionals begin by gathering detailed information about the patient’s symptoms, medical history, and any underlying conditions that could contribute to liver disease. They conduct a thorough physical examination to assess signs such as jaundice, ascites (abdominal swelling), and other symptoms indicative of liver dysfunction.

2. Laboratory Tests: Blood tests play a crucial role in diagnosing liver disease and assessing liver function. Liver function tests (LFTs) measure levels of enzymes, proteins, and bilirubin in the blood, providing insights into liver health and potential damage. Additional tests such as coagulation studies help evaluate the liver’s ability to produce clotting factors.

3. Imaging Studies: Medical imaging techniques such as ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI scans are used to assess the liver’s size, shape, and texture. These tests can detect abnormalities such as cirrhosis, tumours, or structural changes that may require further evaluation.

4. Liver Biopsy: In some cases, a liver biopsy may be performed to obtain a tissue sample for microscopic examination. This procedure helps determine the extent of liver damage, identify specific liver diseases, and assess the potential for regeneration.

5. Scoring Systems: Various scoring systems, such as the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, are used to assess the severity of liver disease and prioritise patients for liver transplantation. These scores consider factors such as bilirubin levels, creatinine levels, and INR (International Normalised Ratio) values.

6. Consultation with Specialists: Patients undergoing evaluation for liver transplant are often referred to hepatologists, transplant surgeons, and other specialists for multidisciplinary evaluation and management. These consultations ensure comprehensive assessment and personalised treatment planning tailored to the patient’s specific needs.

7. Psychosocial Evaluation: Evaluation also includes assessing the patient’s psychological and social support systems, as well as their understanding of the transplant process and ability to comply with post-transplant care requirements.

In conclusion, diagnosing the need for a liver transplant involves a comprehensive approach that combines medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests, imaging studies, and specialised scoring systems. This thorough evaluation helps medical professionals determine if a liver transplant is necessary and ensures that patients receive appropriate care and support throughout their treatment journey.

Liver transplant is a complex surgical procedure that offers a definitive treatment for end-stage liver disease and certain liver cancers. Here’s an overview of how liver transplant treatment works:

1. Patient Evaluation and Preparation: Before undergoing a liver transplant, patients undergo a rigorous evaluation process to assess their overall health, severity of liver disease, and suitability for surgery. This evaluation includes medical history, physical examinations, blood tests, imaging studies, and sometimes a liver biopsy. It also involves psychosocial assessments to ensure patients are mentally and emotionally prepared for the transplant process.

2. Finding a Donor: The success of a liver transplant depends on finding a suitable donor organ. Donors can be living or deceased. Living donors typically donate a portion of their liver, which has the remarkable ability to regenerate within both the donor and recipient over time. Deceased donors provide whole livers that are carefully matched to recipients based on factors such as blood type, body size, and medical urgency.

3. Transplant Surgery: The liver transplant surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and involves removing the diseased liver and replacing it with the healthy donor liver. The surgical team meticulously connects the donor liver’s blood vessels and bile ducts to the recipient’s body to restore normal liver function. The procedure can take several hours, depending on the complexity of the case.

4. Post-Transplant Care: Following surgery, patients are closely monitored in intensive care units (ICU) to ensure initial recovery and early detection of any complications. After stabilisation, patients are transferred to regular hospital rooms for continued monitoring and rehabilitation. Immunosuppressive medications are prescribed to prevent the body from rejecting the new liver. These medications must be taken lifelong and require careful management to balance immune suppression and prevent infection.

5. Long-Term Follow-Up: Long-term follow-up care is essential to monitor the health of the transplanted liver and overall well-being of the patient. Regular visits to transplant clinics involve blood tests, imaging studies, and consultations with hepatologists and transplant surgeons to detect and manage any signs of rejection, infection, or complications. Lifestyle modifications, including diet and exercise, are also emphasised to promote overall health and minimise risks.