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Living liver donation

Living donor liver transplantation is an option to help improve the lives of those on the waiting list by providing them with a life-saving organ.

Become a donor(801) 507-6363

What is living liver donation?

More than 11,000 people across the nation are waiting for a liver transplant. One way to help those in need is by identifying those willing to donate a portion of their healthy liver to replace the failing liver of someone on the waiting list. Within a few months, the donor's remaining part of the liver will regrow to its standard size, volume, and capacity. The same thing happens to the portion of the liver transplanted into the patient, giving them a full-functioning liver.

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Why choose Intermountain for living liver donation?

At Intermountain Health, we want to give everyone who needs it the best chance at getting the liver transplant they need. The problem is that it's hard to know when a liver will be available from someone who has passed and is a donor, so we encourage you to think about a living liver donor transplant as your first option. We have found our community and the surrounding area full of willing potential donors once they hear someone is in need.

Our living donor team is here to help you navigate this process. We set a record in 2022 by doing 104 liver transplants, with 13 coming from living donors.

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Patient stories

"I wouldn't have a future without you."

Jesse received a second chance at life when her mentor and friend, Shawna, donated part of her liver to her to replace her failing organ.

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Kristina and Carrie's Story
Patient stories

"I thought I'd have to wait for someone to die"

When Carrie found out she needed a liver transplant, her co-worker, Kristine, didn’t hesitate to give her a second chance at life.

Learn more

Frequently asked questions

Find answers to some of the most common questions about the living liver donor process for both donor and recipient.

Getting started (takes 2-3 days)
First, fill out a questionnaire online to assess your health. Then, a physician will review your questionnaire.

Learning more about you (takes 2-3 weeks)
After reviewing your questionnaire, a Donor Coordinator and a Donor Advocate will contact you by phone to complete prerequisites, such as filling out a Living Donor Records Worksheet. We will also ask you to complete an online education class about liver donation.

Evaluation in a transplant clinic (about two weeks)
Next, you will come into the Transplant Clinic for an assessment, which usually takes a full day. This evaluation will include doing extra tests or consulting with more transplant team members as needed. Your results and assessments will be reviewed for approval by the transplant team.

Donation (time may vary)
Once we get approval from the transplant team, we will help you schedule your transplant surgery. You will come into the clinic for a checkup before your surgery and then have your liver donation surgery as expected.

Follow-up (two years)
After your surgery, you will return to the clinic for a checkup to ensure you're healing well and not experiencing any issues. You will then be asked to follow up with the transplant team three more times. The first will be six months after your surgery, then at the one-year mark, and finally at the two-year post-op mark.
 

The first thing our providers think about when choosing a living liver donor is long-term health and safety. We will test your general health and liver function to determine if you're a good candidate. Routine age-appropriate cancer screenings must be up-to-date before starting a donor evaluation. Extra tests may be needed based on your circumstances.

Becoming a living liver donor comprises evaluation, approval, and surgery.

In most cases, evaluation can be done over three to four weeks, with most of the testing done in two days in our transplant clinic. It may take an extra one to two weeks to review your results and get approval to donate.

Once approved, surgery can move forward based on availability. The timeframe may be extended if unexpected health issues are discovered for the donor or the person getting the liver.

There are two essential parts to finding a match – learning your blood group type with a blood draw and assessing your liver's weight and structure using C.T. and M.R.I. scans.

If you are not a match with the intended recipient, you may have the option to see if you could be a match for someone else who’s waiting to get a living liver donor transplant.

Suppose multiple potential donors step forward for the person needing a liver transplant. In that case, a donor will be chosen based on blood group, best match, overall health, and availability. In these cases, a living donor may be put on hold while we find another person who needs a liver transplant.

As with any surgery, there are many risks associated with living liver donation surgery. Most risks are rare and minor and resolve on their own. In some cases, the complications are serious enough to require another surgery or medical procedure or can cause severe injury or death.

Every donor candidate is required to join our online donor education class. During this class, we discussed the risks and allowed time for questions. Some of the risks include:

  • Scars, pain, fatigue, and other consequences typical of any surgical procedure.
  • Hernia or wound infection.
  • Abdominal or bowel symptoms such as bloating and nausea.
  • Possible death or illness for a living donor may be impacted by age, obesity, hypertension, or other donor-specific pre-existing conditions.
  • Bleeding during or after surgery.
  • There may be a delay in the function of your donated liver tissue after it has been placed in the recipient. There is a possibility that your donated liver tissue will not function for the recipient.
  • Biliary complications, including leaking or stricture development, may require additional interventions.
  • Damage to nerves. This can happen from pressure or positioning of the arms, legs, or back during the surgery. Nerve damage can cause numbness, weakness, or pain. In most cases, these symptoms are temporary.
  • Surgical site infection

Because living liver donation is a relatively new procedure, it is not known what the long-term complications may be. However, studies of large groups of living donors over the last 30 years have shown that donation does not affect long-term life expectancy.

 

Most people who donate a liver should plan to take six to eight weeks off work for surgery and recovery. Please remember that it can take longer for your energy levels to return to normal.

Physically demanding jobs, like ones requiring you to lift more than ten pounds, may require eight to 12 weeks off work. Strenuous activity and vigorous exercise should be avoided for six to eight weeks.

We recommend a heart-healthy diet after donating a liver.

Expenses related to liver donor testing, surgery, and follow-up are covered by the insurance of the person getting the liver. However, donors will need to prepare for the cost of travel, housing, and lost wages.

Living liver donors can apply for financial assistance through the National Living Donor Assistance Center.

We encourage you to look into other resources at the American Society of Transplantation Living Donor Toolkit, including more about living donation's financial and medical impacts.

 

Living liver donors must travel to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah, for evaluation and surgery. After the liver donation surgery, the donor will need to stay in the Salt Lake City area for two weeks or until they're cleared to go home. If you plan a trip, please get in touch with us before booking flights or a hotel room: (801) 507-6363 or IMEDLiverDonor@imail.org. We can give you a list of discounted hotels and guide you on applying for financial help.

Suppose you've completed the living liver donor health questionnaire. In that case, you can talk to someone who has gone through a live liver donation before. We have a community of living donors who would be happy to talk about their liver donation & recovery experiences with you.

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