Liver Transplantation

Who Can Be A Donor

In order to be a donor, they must first volunteer to donate a portion of his or her liver to a family member or even someone outside of their family. However not all volunteers, are able to be a donor. Here are some of the following requirements:

• The donor's liver must be large enough relative to the recipient's body size
• Careful screening tests must be performed to evaluate the health and suitability of the donor
• The donor's blood type must be compatible with the recipient's
• Psychiatric evaluations are also conducted to ensure that the donor does not feel pressured by other family members and is truly willing to undergo the procedure, even if it should fail
• The donor must be between the ages of 18 -60
• The donor must not have a life-limiting disease in another organ system such as the heart, lung, or central nervous system
• The donor must be in a healthy  condition and not have an active infection
• The donor must not have any drug or alcohol addictions. The donor must have documentation of successfully completing a recovery program or obtain clearance by psychological evaluation.