Liver Transplant Recipients Have Longer Survival Rate

Liver Transplant Recipients Have Longer Survival Rate

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Ever since Dr. Thomas Starzl performed the first human liver transplant in 1963 thousands of people have added years to their lives because of the lifesaving procedure. According to the American Journal of Transplantation, recipients of liver transplant have increased odds of survival.

One study found that nearly 60% of those who receive a liver transplant survive for 15 years or more following the initial transplant. The liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself, meaning only a small amount can grow into a fully functioning liver.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 7,000 liver transplants are performed annually in the United States, with nearly 16,000 people on waiting lists. The liver processes fats, proteins and carbohydrates and secrets necessary bile to help in the digestion process and breakdown toxic substances.

A study of more 5,000 liver transplant recipients found that more than 70% live for more than three years following the initial transplant. Nearly 95% of those 50 to 64 years of age survive for at least the first three months following the transplant.

Surprisingly, liver cancer only accounts for the reason why a person needs a liver transplant in 2% of those who received or are waiting for a transplant. Often the reason for a transplant is other conditions that have not originated in the liver, but effect it's functioning to the point where it does not work properly anymore.

According to the American Liver Foundation, follow up visits are required for liver transplant recipients once a year on the anniversary date of their transplant. Age is a factor in survival rates. One study reports a nearly 70% survival rate of ten years or more in transplant recipients under the age of 40.

The longest living person to have received a transplant has lived for nearly 30 years since his transplant. A recent study puts the one year survival rate of liver transplant recipients at nearly 80%. Advances in medicines used to suppress the immune system to prevent rejection are among reasons credited for longer survival rates.

Milliman, Inc., a group that does consulting for health insurance companies, puts the one year survival rate among transplant recipients at 77%. Regardless of which figures you go by, those who receive liver transplants are living longer today compared to even just a decade ago.

Ideally, it is best to try to do things to prevent the need for a liver transplant. This includes avoiding behaviors, such as heavy drinking, which may contribute to liver problems becoming severe enough to require a transplant.

There are many factors which may contribute to the need for a liver transplant, several of which are not the fault of the individual. Recently Apple's Steve Jobs received a liver transplant, reportedly because of Hepatitis C. The good news is that for those who do need a liver transplant, no mater what the reason, there is better chance of survival for many years following the initial transplant.

About the Author:
Blake Fields has seen the toll of what a liver transplant can do to a person. It's not so much the surgery as it is the cost. Having affordable health insurance can make all the difference in the world.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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