Liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease

The experience from many transplant centers has shown that orthotopic liver transplantation is a safe and successful procedure for the treatment of end-stage chronic alcoholic liver disease. Once an appropriate psycho-medical evaluation is completed and patients are chosen carefully for abstinence, the survival rate of alcoholics who undergo liver transplantation is equal if not better than that of individuals transplanted for other causes of liver disease. While the initial ostracism of alcoholics from transplant centers no longer exists, the issues of recidivism and disease recurrence remain as concerns. The available data on liver transplantation for alcoholics, recidivism, and long-term survival are reviewed.