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Post Liver Transplant Pain

A liver transplant is the surgical replacement of an unhealthy, diseased liver with a new liver. Since this surgery requires that the patient's entire organ be removed for replacement, post-transplantation involves pain.

  1. Significance

    • Performing over 400 functions in the body on a daily basis, according to the University of Southern California (USC) Department of Surgery, the liver is crucial to the body's health. A liver transplant is necessary for patients facing fatal liver failure.

    Time Frame

    • After the six- to 12-hour operation, the patient awakes in an intensive care unit (ICU) and remains in the hospital for up to three weeks, according to the American Liver Foundation. Medication and careful monitoring (for infection prevention) are methods of pain management.

    Side Effects

    • Nausea, vomiting, liver pain, pain in the ribs, pain when coughing, fluid retention, raised blood pressure, headaches and diarrhea are possible side effects that vary among patients. The medication used to promote the body's acceptance of the new organ is often the cause of these side effects.

    Postoperative Complications

    • A number of postoperative complications are possible, and they begin with symptoms of pain. These include infection, high blood pressure, bile leak, biliary stenosis, the body's rejection of the new liver and sudden symptoms of diabetes. The USC Department of Surgery claims that there is no way to predict which patients have a greater chance of such complications.

    Signs of Rejection and/or Infection

    • While postoperative pain is normal, signs of concern can arise after the patient's release and can be indicative of infection or rejection of the new liver. Such signs include a fever longer than a few days, shortness of breath, a mucus-filled cough, red and/or burning urine, prolonged vomiting, skin rashes, black stool and vaginal irritation.

    Medication

    • While the patient will receive pain medication during his hospital stay, the medications prescribed upon the patient's release are given to promote the body's acceptance of the new liver. Patients should discuss pain and medication with a doctor and not take pain medication unless advised to do so.

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