Liver transplant

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Departments and specialties

Mayo Clinic has one of the largest and most experienced practices in the United States, with campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. Staff skilled in dozens of specialties work together to ensure quality care and successful recovery.

Departments with related expertise

Research

Mayo Clinic scientists, doctors and surgeons develop liver transplant insights and innovations that make transplants safer and available to more people. They are actively involved in conducting laboratory studies, clinical trials and other research on every aspect of conditions related to liver transplants.

Here are a few examples:

  • Bioartificial liver. This innovation helps patients cope as they await donor livers. Developed by Mayo Clinic doctors and researchers, these new bioartificial livers use living cells from pig livers to filter a patient's blood in a process similar to that of kidney dialysis. The device is being tested before it becomes available in clinics and hospitals.
  • Magnetic resonance elastography. This innovative technology was developed by Mayo Clinic doctors and researchers as a noninvasive way to test for liver scarring. Someday it may reduce the need for liver biopsies in people with liver disease.
  • Immunosuppressive medications. This research examines the effect of antibody-mediated injury in liver-kidney transplants and how doing a multiorgan transplant may actually result in better outcomes.
  • Maximizing organ donors. Transplant physicians found that people with liver cancer have no differences in beneficial outcomes using organs donated by patients who died of cardiac death rather than brain death.
  • Cell therapies for liver disease. This research offers potential new treatments for several liver diseases and may improve the success of liver transplantation.
  • Triage system. Mayo Clinic researchers originally proposed, designed and tested the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD). This system prioritizes people waiting for a transplant based on the severity of their condition and how urgently they may need a transplant.

Read more about the many liver transplant research studies supported by the Transplant Research Center.

Publications

See a list of publications about liver transplant by Mayo Clinic doctors on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.

Research Profiles

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Liver transplant care at Mayo Clinic

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AboutCare at Mayo Clinic
Jan. 19, 2024
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  1. AskMayoExpert. Liver transplantation (child). Mayo Clinic; 2021.
  2. Liver transplant. American Liver Foundation. https://liverfoundation.org/for-patients/about-the-liver/liver-transplant/#what-can-people-do-to-help-those-who-need-liver-transplants. Accessed Oct. 14, 2019.
  3. The progression of liver disease. American Liver Foundation. https://liverfoundation.org/for-patients/about-the-liver/the-progression-of-liver-disease/#doctors-visit-guide. Accessed Aug. 24, 2021.
  4. Waiting for your transplant. UNOS Transplant Living. https://transplantliving.org/before-the-transplant/waiting-for-your-transplant/. Accessed Aug. 23, 2021.
  5. Busuttil RW, et al., eds. Donor selection and management. In: Transplantation of the Liver. 3rd ed. Saunders Elsevier; 2015. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 14, 2019.
  6. Side effects. UNOS Transplant Living. https://transplantliving.org/after-the-transplant/preventing-rejection/side-effects/. Accessed Aug. 23, 2021.
  7. Dove LM, et al. Liver transplantation in adults: Patient selection and pretransplantation evaluation. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 14, 2019.
  8. Bambha K, et al. Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD). https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 14, 2019.
  9. Cotler S. Living donor liver transplantation. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 14, 2019.
  10. Lerut J, et al. Domino-liver transplantation: Toward a safer and simpler technique in both donor and recipient. Updates in Surgery. 2021; doi:10.1007/s13304-020-00886-4.
  11. Kwong A, et al. OPTN/SRTR 2018 annual data report: Liver. American Journal of Transplantation. 2020; doi:10.1111/ajt.15674.
  12. Croome KP, et al. The use of donation after cardiac death allografts does not increase recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma. American Journal of Transplantation. 2015; doi:10.1111/ajt.13306.
  13. Zhou W, et al. Stem cell-related studies and stem cell-based therapies in liver disease. Cell Transplantation. 2019; doi:10.1177/0963689719859262.
  14. Preventing rejection. UNOS Transplant Living. https://transplantliving.org/after-the-transplant/preventing-rejection/. Accessed Aug. 23, 2021.
  15. Why join a support group. UNOS Transplant Living. https://transplantliving.org/community/support-groups/. Accessed Aug. 23, 2021.
  16. Chen HS, et al. Randomized trial of spheroid reservoir bioartificial liver in porcine model of posthepatectomy liver failure. Hepatology. 209; doi:10.1002/hep.30184.
  17. Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2022. Elsevier; 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 24, 2021.
  18. Liver transplantation. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/immunology-allergic-disorders/transplantation/liver-transplantation?query=liver transplantation#. Accessed Aug. 24, 2021.
  19. Feather A, et al., eds. Liver disease. In: Kumar & Clark's Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 24, 2021.
  20. Overview of transplantation. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/immunology-allergic-disorders/transplantation/overview-of-transplantation#. Accessed Aug. 24, 2021.
  21. Burt AD, et al., eds. Transplantation pathology. In: MacSween's Pathology of the Liver. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2018. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 31, 2021.
  22. Ekser, B, et al. Current status of combined liver-kidney transplantation. International Journal of Surgery. 2020; doi:10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.02.008.
  23. The organ transplant process. Health Resources and Services Administration. https://www.organdonor.gov/learn/process/transplant-process. Accessed Sept. 7, 2021.

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Liver transplant