Liver Transplant Cost in Addis Ababa

What is a Liver Transplant?

The liver is a vital organ, which means it is essential for survival. Your liver filters blood and removes toxins from your body. When your liver doesn’t work as well, a liver transplant, also called a hepatic transplant, can help save your life. A liver transplant is a surgery in which a patient’s infected liver is replaced with a healthy liver from another person. It can come from a living or deceased donor, either whole or in part.

Why liver transplants are recommended?

In case of end-stage liver disease, a doctor may go for liver transplant surgery. Without a transplant, a person with this disease would die. If other treatments for liver disease are not enough to keep a person alive, a doctor may recommend a liver transplant.

A doctor will also consider whether a liver transplant will be successful in extending a person’s life or not. If a person has additional chronic diseases that may weaken the outcome of a transplant, they may not be a good transplant candidate. In such cases, doctors would not go for a Liver transplant.

Possible complications and risks of a liver transplant

The highest risk of this surgery is transplant failure. Your body may reject the new liver in this position, often for reasons that doctors don’t understand. You also have a higher risk of infection after a liver transplant. There may also be other long-term complications, including:

• Bleeding
• Blood clots
• Side effect from medications including high blood sugar from steroids
• Infection of surgical wound
• Can cause damage to the bile duct

Survival rates of liver transplant

According to a study, after one year people who have had a liver transplant have an 89% chance of survival. Almost 75% of people live five years. Sometimes, the transplanted liver can fail or the original disease may reoccur. It is important that your doctor check your recovery not long after the transplant, in order to notice any complications. Of course regular blood tests will be needed. Also you will need to take antirejection medicines for rest the rest of your life.

Self care after liver transplant

After a liver transplant Surgery, your doctor surely recommend you some lifestyle changes, which include regular exercise and a healthy diet. You can make a meal plan from nutritionist or a dietitian, which will help you to maintain overall health and will boost your strength. You can also reduce your chances of liver disease by limiting risk factors which includes:

• smoking
• excessive intake of salt and sugar
• alcohol
• high cholesterol

Being physically healthy may reduce your chances for transplant rejection.