How to Get a Liver Transplant Evaluation

Your doctor let's you know that its time for a liver transplant evaluation. This is big news, and you might not know what to expect. Getting a liver transplant evaluation is a long and tedious process. Follow these steps to make it a little bit easier.

Instructions

• 1

  Check into the hospital where the transplant will occur. There are only a few medical centers that do transplants. It may be close to where you live or in a city far away. Plan to spend a minimum of four days. If it is for a child, arrange for a parent to be there at all times. This is important as part of the evaluation considers how the family copes with long-term care.

• 2

  Meet the transplant team. The first person you'll meet, usually over the phone before you check in, is the transplant coordinator. She is a key person who schedules all the testing and other professional members. She is available to answer any questions. The rest of the team will include gastroeterologists, transplant surgeons, social workers, psychologists, dietitions, primary nurses, child life specialists (for children), and chaplains.

• 3

  Be cooperative and available for all tests. The hard truth is that there are not enough livers for transplants. How cooperative and willing a patient is with his treatments and taking his medication plays a part in assessing how well he'll do after the transplant. Sometimes tests will be done in the middle of the night as that is when there is scheduling room. The tests include several different blood tests, x-rays, EKG, Echocardiogram, abdominal ultrasound, CT scan, cholangiogram, liver biopsy, endoscopy, arteriogram, MRI, pulmonary and renal function tests.

• 4

  Be honest and open in the interviews. In addition to consultations with the various doctors, you will speak with social workers, chaplains and psychologists. Let them know about every resource you have for coping with long term care, such as family nearby, church associates, and friends who can help out.

• 5

  Return for the determination. A few days or weeks after you've been discharged, you will return to find out if you are a suitable transplant candidate and should be placed on the inactive or active list.