People with acute or chronic liver failure are often appropriately treated with a liver transplant. People whose conditions haven't been successfully treated with other options may be eligible for a liver transplant. The cause of acute liver failure is often unknown, but it may be caused by an overdose or adverse reaction to certain medications. Chronic liver failure may be caused by many medical conditions that may progress to injure your liver, including:

• Acute hepatitis
• Alcoholic liver disease
• Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency
• Amyloidosis
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma)
• Biliary atresia
• Budd-Chiari syndrome
• Chronic hepatitis B
• Chronic hepatitis C
• Hemochromatosis
• Hepatopulmonary syndrome
• Hyperoxaluria and oxalosis
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
• Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
• Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Some types of liver cancer
• Wilson's disease

Your transplant team will evaluate you to determine whether a liver transplant may be safe and beneficial for you. To evaluate you, doctors may:

• Perform a physical examination
• Conduct blood tests and other tests to assess liver function
• Conduct tests to ensure you have adequate heart, lung and kidney function
• Conduct tests to ensure you don't have any other serious medical conditions that may need to be addressed before transplantation, or could potentially make you ineligible for transplantation
• Perform tests and ask questions to ensure you're not using drugs or alcohol
• Order a psychological evaluation

If your doctors and transplant team determine you're eligible for a liver transplant, your treatment team will explain benefits and risks of a transplant. Your transplant coordinator and other members of your team will provide you and your family with education about what to expect before, during and after your liver transplant.

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July 11, 2013