Living-donor liver transplantation: current perspective.

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Transplantation Surgery
• Organ Donation

Background:

• The persistent shortage of deceased liver donors leads to high mortality rates for patients on the transplant waiting list.
• Current strategies like extended criteria donors and split liver transplants have not met the organ demand.
• Living donor transplantation presents a viable solution to the organ deficit, offering potential benefits over deceased donation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the advancements and applications of living donor liver transplantation.
• To highlight the importance of donor safety and specialized surgical expertise.
• To discuss strategies for improving access and future directions in living donation.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature and practices in living donor liver transplantation.
• Analysis of strategies to enhance donor safety and recipient outcomes.
• Discussion of the role of specialized centers and surgeon training.

Main Results:

• Living donation provides a sustainable source of liver grafts, mitigating deceased donor shortages.
• Improvements in surgical techniques and perioperative care have enhanced safety for both donors and recipients.
• Centralization of expertise at specialized centers and training programs are crucial for wider adoption.

Conclusions:

• Living donor liver transplantation is a critical strategy to overcome deceased donor scarcity.
• Continued innovation in surgical procedures and immunosuppression management will further optimize outcomes.
• Expanding access through specialized centers and training is essential for increasing the availability of liver transplants.