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Risks and Benefits
Donating a portion of your liver to a family member or loved one can be a very rewarding experience. For the recipient it means that their life has been saved by a very special person. The surgery is planned, which reduces the waiting time for the recipient, who may not be able to wait due to the nature of their disease. The recipient is often in the best health medically to undergo the transplant which improves their recovery time. For the recipient, the stresses of waiting on a transplant list have been eliminated to the generosity of their donor. The organ from a living donor is often healthier than those donated after death. The greatest benefit for the donor is knowing that you are helping someone who is very sick and is need of a life-saving organ.
As with any major surgery, there are potential risks. The most common surgical risks include pain from the incision, bleeding, and infection. Other less common risks include bowel obstruction, numbness in your arms or fingers, blood clot in your lung or hernia at your incision site. There is also the risk of dying from donating a portion of your liver, which is estimated to be 1 in 500. It is important that you understand these risks. If you have any questions about the risks of the surgery, you should consult the transplant team.
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