Pros of Transplantation
While suffering from end-stage liver disease, you will feel very tired. You may be jaundiced, which makes your eyes and skin turn yellow. You'll also have a reduced capacity to detoxify your body and produce digestive enzymes. All these symptoms will gradually go away after receiving a liver transplant.
There are few options outside transplantation once you've reached end-stage liver disease. Due to the large number of functions the liver performs, there is no artificial way to sustain life without a liver. Thus, liver transplant may be your only choice to return to full health.
After receiving a liver transplant, you'll find that you'll regain the capacity to perform many activities that were previously difficult, if not impossible, to perform. Many liver recipients report feeling great after a few months as they return to their normal lives.
Cons of Transplantation
There is a surgical complication rate that may be as high as 15-20%, including death, within the first year after transplantation. You must weigh this risk against the risk of living without transplantation, taking into account quality of life issues. Some of the complications during surgery are problems with anesthesia, and uncontrollable bleeding.
After a successful liver transplant surgery, there are still many complications that may arise. These may include:
The entire donation process is typically paid for by your insurance. This may include all evaluations, the transplant surgery, in-hospital recovery, follow-up care, and medications. Some items, however, may not be covered by your insurance policy, so our financial coordinator will identify how to cover them. You should also consider the cost of missing work.
