[Quality of life following liver transplantation]

247 liver transplantations in 210 patients were done between June 1983 and April 1991 in our hospital. In this paper we have analyzed our experience with adult liver transplantation from the view point of quality of life after liver transplant. Indications for liver transplantation were the following: 46 patients with cirrhosis due to non A, non B hepatitis, 29 with alcoholic cirrhosis, 13 with hepatitis B, 34 with primary biliary cirrhosis, 26 with primary sclerosing cholangitis, 29 with acute hepatic necrosis, 10 with liver tumor, 13 with miscellaneous other diseases. Of the 210 patients, 125 are alive to date. One, three and five year survival rates (excluding perioperative death) of all patients were 80.2%, 70.6% and 65.45% respectively. The best rehabilitation is in 73 patients who are full time workers or full time students and in 16 patients who are homemakers. The degree of rehabilitation in these patients is very high: 6 patients died after achieving complete rehabilitation; 11 patients retired from employment after liver transplantation; 8 patients are chronically disabled; 79 patients died before rehabilitation could be achieved. Rehabilitation rates of one and five year survivors are 78% and 84.2% respectively. Quality of life has been satisfactory following liver transplantation.