How long should I stay for Liver Transplantation?
How is surgery performed?
What is the post-sugical care?
What are the possible risks and complications?
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How long should I stay for Liver Transplantation?
It is advisable to stay at least a month to complete a whole process. On an arrival day, a patient should stay in a hotel to relax from a long flight and have a surgery on the following day. Normally, Liver Transplantation requires 2-3 weeks in hospital. Post operative check up will be done afterward.
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How is surgery performed?
Liver transplants usually take from 6-12 hours. During the operation, surgeons will remove your liver and will replace it with the donor liver. Several tubes are put in your body. These tubes are necessary to help your body carry out certain functions during the operation and for a few days afterward.
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What is the post-sugical care?
After surgery, patient is taken to the ICU to monitor very closely. Patient will be on a respirator and will have a tube in the trachea bringing oxygen to the lungs. Once the patient wakes up and can breathe alone, the tube and respirator are removed. The patient will have several blood tests, x-ray films, and ECGs during the hospital stay. Blood transfusions may be necessary. The patient leaves the ICU once he or she is fully awake, able to breathe effectively, and has a normal temperature, blood pressure, and pulse, usually after about 3-4 days. Before going home, patient will learn how to take medications and how to monitor own blood pressure and pulse.
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What are the possible risks and complications?
Rejection
Infection
Don't take oral contraceptive pill to prevent blood clots.
Pregnancy should be avoided until at least 1 year after transplantation.
No transplant recipient should receive live virus vaccines (especially polio), and no household contacts should receive these either.