British Columbia Transplant Society Website

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can be a live donor?
The donor could either be a relative, spouse, or friend.
The blood type of the donor must be compatible with the recipient’s.
The donor should be in good physical and mental health.
The donor should be between 19-60 years old.
The decision to be a donor should be made after careful understanding of the procedures, and consideration of the risks and complications involved.

What would immediately disqualify me as a donor?
History of Hepatitis B or C
HIV infection
Active alcoholism or frequent heavy alcohol use
IV drug use
Psychiatric illness currently under treatment
A recent history of cancer
A significant medical condition

If I am related to the recipient, will he or she have less rejection?
The risk of rejection in a live donor liver transplant is low. The same risk of rejection exists when the donor is related or non-related.

What are the advantages to live donor liver transplant?
The main advantage is the shortened waiting time for the recipient. Depending on their condition, diagnosis, status, blood type and size, patients can be on the waiting list for months or even years. Some patients may develop complications and even die while waiting for a deceased donor organ.

Will the recipient be removed from the active transplant waiting list if I’m evaluated?
NO. The recipient will remain on the active list until he/she is actually transplanted. Should a deceased liver become available for the recipient, no further testing of the living donor will take place, and scheduled surgery would be cancelled.

What is the evaluation process all about?
The evaluation process is to determine if the donor’s liver is the right size for the recipient and is healthy. The evaluation also ensures that a potential donor is free from any transmittable diseases or psychiatric illness.

What are the possible complications of the donor’s operation?
As with any surgery involving general anesthesia, there are possible complications of the anesthesia itself, including heart complications, stroke and blood clot formation in the legs or lungs.
There is also a risk that the remaining portion of your liver will fail and you will need an urgent liver transplant yourself. While these complications are very rare, the risks exist, and we will discuss them with you in more detail during the evaluation. The most common complications of this surgery are small bile leaks from the remaining portion of your liver, wound infections, and hernias. Gastrointestinal upsets such as constipation, indigestion, nausea or diarrhea are common; however, usually resolve after a couple of weeks.

How quickly will I know if I can be a live liver donor?
The evaluation time varies. Completely healthy donors may be notified as soon as 6-8 weeks. If issues are identified, the evaluation may take longer.

Should I stop smoking before my surgery?
Even a light smoker should stop smoking before surgery. A heavy smoker may not be considered a suitable donor due to increased health risks.

Should I stop drinking alcohol?
If you are going to be a liver donor, it is best that you stop drinking alcohol. If you have a history of alcohol use, it is very important that you tell our team.

Should I stop taking my medications?
You should only stop prescription medications under the advice of a physician. You should not use aspirin or non-steroidal medications such as Advil or Motrin for 7 days prior to surgery. This type of medication may increase your risk of bleeding. You may use Tylenol if needed. Women taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy will be advised to stop taking them because of the increased risk of blood clots during recovery from surgery.

Is the surgery guaranteed to happen on the scheduled day?
No. While every step is taken to ensure the surgery takes place at the scheduled date and time, a number of situations could arise that could mean the date is changed. The recipient’s condition might deteriorate or he/she may be ill with an infection. Also, due to emergencies beyond anyone’s control, the OR and/ICU may not be able to accommodate the surgery on the scheduled day.

How long will the surgery take?
The donor surgery usually begins early in the morning and may last between 8-10 hours. There is approximately a 2 hour change over time in the OR before the recipient’s surgery begins. The recipient’s surgery may take up to 6-12 hours.

Will I require a blood transfusion during my surgery?
Blood transfusions during this surgery may be necessary, as with any kind of operation, but are not usual with living liver surgery.

Will I have pain after the surgery?
It is normal to experience some pain or discomfort after surgery. We use a variety of methods to minimize post-operative pain including intravenous, epidural and oral medication.

When can I start to drink and eat after my surgery?
Usually you will start having sips of water in the recovery room. You will gradually be advanced and you will be eating a normal diet in 4 or 5 days.

Will I need to take any medication after I donate a part of my liver?
Normally, you would only require pain medication for a short period of time.

How long will I need to stay in the hospital?
If there are no complications, the usual hospital stay is 7-10 days.

How long will I be off work?
The minimum amount of time you need to recover is 4-6 weeks. However, even if there are no complications, some donors require a few months before they feel ready to return to work.

Will I have a normal life after surgery?
We expect that you will return to a totally normal life within 3 months after your surgery, provided you do not experience any complications.

When can I resume sexual intercourse?
You may want to refrain from sexual intercourse for a couple of weeks until your incisions are well healed.

How long after surgery should I wait to get pregnant?
There is no definite answer, but we recommend that you do not become pregnant for at least 3-6 months.

Will I be able to donate part of my liver again in the future to someone else?
At this time we do not believe future donation will be possible.

When will I be able to drive again?
We advise you not to drive for at least the first 2-3 weeks after the surgery. You must be physically and mentally strong, with normal reflexes, and free from any abdominal pain or discomfort before you resume driving. You should also not be taking any narcotic pain medications such as Tylenol #3 or Oxycodone.

When can I begin to exercise?
As soon as you wake up from the anesthesia, you will begin “exercising”. You will need to take deep breaths and cough to make sure you are getting air into all areas of your lungs. This will help prevent pneumonia. You will also begin to exercise the muscles of your legs by flexing and relaxing them periodically. You will be helped out of bed within 24 to 48 hours after your surgery and encouraged to walk around. By walking as soon after your surgery as possible, you will help to prevent complications such as blood clots, pneumonia and muscle wasting. You are also encouraged to continue a program of daily walking when you go home but it is recommended that you wait 6 weeks before starting any major physical exercise regime. Remember the goal is to be back to normal health within 2–3 months.

When can I lift weights, jog, swim, etc?
You will need to avoid any heavy lifting (no weight greater than 15-20lbs, or about 2 grocery bags) for the first 6 weeks, until your abdomen has completely healed. After 6 weeks, if you are feeling well and have not experienced any complications, you may begin to return to your normal activities. Begin slowly and build up gradually. Be cautious with activities that strain abdominal muscles.

Will I be able to drink alcohol?
After your recovery is complete, your normal lifestyle may be resumed with no special considerations. However, if you drink alcohol it is recommended that this be consumed in moderation.

How long after the surgery will it take before my liver functions normally again?
Unless there are unforeseen complications, your liver will function immediately after the surgery. After 4 weeks, your liver will have grown back to almost its normal size.

What type of follow-up care do I need?
You may go home with a tube in your abdomen that will need to be removed within several weeks. You will receive letters from the Coordinator at BCTS requesting blood tests every 3 months for the first year, and then yearly for life. We also recommend a yearly ultrasound. This is to ensure that there are no delayed complications (such as bile duct narrowing) as a result of the surgery.