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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
Porcine Liver Transplantation Without Veno-Venous Bypass As an Extended Criteria Donor Model
Published on: August 17, 2022
Long-term follow-up of living liver donors
M Castedal1, M Andersson, D Polanska-Tamborek
1The Transplant Institute, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. maria.castedal@medfak.gu.se
Insights
Living liver donors typically recover within 3-6 months, reporting positive donation experiences with minimal long-term issues. Liver regeneration reaches nearly preoperative volume, ensuring normal function post-donation.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Transplant Surgery
- Donor Health
Background:
- Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is a vital procedure, yet donor well-being and liver regeneration require ongoing assessment.
- At our center, LDLT constitutes 4% of all liver transplantations, highlighting the importance of understanding donor outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term health and experiences of living liver donors.
- To assess the regenerative capacity and functional recovery of the liver after partial hepatectomy in donors.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 34 healthy living liver donors who underwent partial hepatectomy between 1996 and 2007.
- Data collection included questionnaires on donor experience, physical examinations, liver function tests, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for liver volume assessment.
Main Results:
- Donors experienced a recovery period of 3-6 months, with 76.5% viewing the donation positively and no participants expressing regret.
- Common long-term side effects included mild heartburn and abdominal discomfort; liver function tests remained normal.
- MRI demonstrated significant liver regeneration, with total liver volume recovering to approximately 98.6% of preoperative values.
Conclusions:
- Living liver donation is generally a safe procedure with high donor satisfaction and excellent liver regeneration.
- Donors achieve substantial recovery within months, with most experiencing only mild, manageable long-term symptoms.
- The study confirms the robust regenerative capacity of the human liver following partial donation.
Objectives:
At our center living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) represents 4% of all transplantations. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to clarify the current well-being of the donors, their experiences of being a donor, as well as the regenerative capacity of the liver.
Patients And Method:
Thirty-six healthy subjects donated a part of their liver between 1996 and 2007. Thirty-four patients participated in the study and completed our questionnaire. We performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver, physical examination, and blood chemistry.
Results:
Twenty-three subjects had donated the left lateral segment and 11 the right lobe. Their hospital stay ranged from 5-15 days (median, 10). Mostly, the sick-leave period was 8-12 weeks and time for recovery was 3-6 months. Long-term problems were heartburn, abdominal discomfort, incisional hernia, and fatigue. Twenty-six (76.5%) subjects viewed the donation experience as entirely positive; no one was regretful. Liver function tests were normal. The MRI data at follow-up of 13 left lateral segment and 11 right lobe grafts showed recovery of the total liver volume to almost preoperative values, mean 1522 ± 241 mL versus 1552 ± 219 mL, respectively.
Conclusion:
Living liver donors commonly recovered after 3-6 months, perceiving donation as a positive experience with no regret. Durable side effects were mainly heartburn and abdominal discomfort, but the symptoms were mostly mild. Liver function was normal. The MRI data showed a mean regeneration of liver volume to 98.6% of the preoperative values.
