Hepatitis C-related complications are a leading cause of liver transplants in the United States. A liver transplant is a life-saving surgery where a surgeon removes a diseased liver and replaces it with a healthy liver from a living or deceased donor.
Hepatitis C (HCV) is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver. HCV infections can either be acute (short term) or chronic (long lasting). When a person has acute hepatitis, symptoms can last for
According to the
The need for liver transplants because of heavy drinking soared during the pandemic, researchers reported Tuesday.They found the number of people who got a liver transplant or were put on a waiting list due to alcoholic hepatitis was 50% higher than what was forecast based on pre-pandemic trends.With alcoholic hepatitis, the liver stops processing alcohol and instead creates highly toxic chemicals that trigger inflammation. The inflammation can kill off healthy liver cells, creating irreversible damage to the liver that may force the patient to get a liver transplant to survive.Alcoholic hepatitis is a condition that often develops after years of heavy drinking, but it can also develop after a short period of excess. Scientists still don’t know why some people develop this condition and others don’t.For this study, University of Michigan researchers compared the actual number of new people put on the U.S. organ transplant list from March 2020 to … Read More
They found the number of people who got a liver transplant or were put on a waiting list due to alcoholic hepatitis was 50% higher than what was forecast based on pre-pandemic trends.
With alcoholic hepatitis, the liver stops processing alcohol and instead creates highly toxic chemicals that trigger inflammation. The inflammation can kill off healthy liver cells, creating irreversible damage to the liver that may force the patient to get a liver transplant to survive.
Alcoholic hepatitis is a condition that often develops after years of heavy drinking, but it can also develop after a short period of excess. Scientists still don’t know why some people develop this condition and others don’t.
For this study, University of Michigan researchers compared the actual number of new people put on the US organ transplant list from March 2020 to January 2021 with the projected numbers that were based on pre-pandemic data.
With most liver transplants, the person who needs a new liver gets it from someone who’s deceased. Living-donor liver donations come from someone who’s still alive, like a family member or friend.
The donor gives you a piece of their healthy liver, which replaces your damaged one. The donor’s liver and the recipient’s liver both grow to a normal size within a few months.
Shorter wait. More than 14,000 people are on the national wait list for a liver transplant, and there aren’t enough organs for everyone. If you choose a living-donor liver donation, it may cut down your wait time. This can be lifesaving if your liver is getting worse or you have other health conditions. It also helps the next person on the list.
Faster, easier recovery. You may have a shorter stay in the hospital. You’re also less likely to need a
