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What Is the Average Life Span of a Liver Transplant?

A liver transplant is a surgery where a malfunctioning or diseased liver is replaced with a healthy liver. Sometimes, only a partial liver is inserted to replace a bad liver because the partial liver can grow into a full-size organ after transplantation. Cirrhosis is a frequent cause of liver failure and the subsequent need for a transplant. After a transplant is completed, there are many factors that contribute to how long the new liver might last.

  1. Ideal Circumstances

    • With a healthy patient who follows healthy lifestyle habits after surgery, a liver transplant can last more than 30 years. However, there are a number of problems that could shorten the lifespan of the new liver, including infection and unhealthy life habits. Patients are more prone to infection following the transplant because they need to be on drugs that suppress the immune system. This prevents the body from rejecting the new organ, but it also leaves the patient vulnerable to other health problems.

    Bad Habits

    • Most liver transplants are needed because of cirrhosis, which is a scarring of the liver as the individual cells die and cease function. Alcoholism and hepatitis C are common causes of cirrhosis, and a patient who continues to consume alcohol after a liver transplant is very likely to damage the new liver and drastically lower the expected life span of the organ. According to the Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation, a patient's failure to comply with the immunosuppression regimen is the top cause of organ failure.

    Avoiding Infection

    • If an infection attacks the body, the new liver is very vulnerable. To prevent infections as the body recovers from surgery, the patient needs to wash hands frequently and not handle any bacteria sources such as animal waste. If a litter box needs to be emptied, someone else needs to do it, and the box should be covered and emptied outside the house. Patients should stay away from anyone who is ill, and they should avoid vaccinations that involve live viruses.

    Immunodeficiency

    • Immunodeficiency drugs must be taken following a liver transplant to prevent the organ from being rejected by the body. The liver will not last long without them because the body's immune system will attack it. In most cases, these drugs must be taken for the rest of the patient's life. The dosage can frequently be decreased as time goes on and the body adapts to the new liver. The medication has been stopped completely with success in some rare cases and the liver functions normally.

    Physical Activity

    • If strenuous physical activity is resumed too soon after the operation, the new liver can be negatively affected and this can shorten the lifespan. On average, an otherwise healthy patient can resume normal physical activity within six to 12 months following the transplant without any damage to the new liver. Sexual activity can be resumed when desired along the same time frame.

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