Many people around the world suffering from end stage liver disease, due to hepatitis C or alcohol abuse or any other causes; require a liver transplantation to sustain. However, there is a vast discrepancy between the numbers of livers required for transplantation and the number of cadaveric livers available. In view of this increasing shortage, surgeons have started adopting liver from live donors. Adult living donor liver transplants have seen a dramatic increase worldwide. But not much has been known about the fate of live donors. A recent study, published in the November issue of the journal “Annals of Surgery”, was aimed at finding the long term health status of the live donors.
The live donors, who had undergone right hepatectomy for adult live donor liver transplantation between 1998 and 2007, were surveyed for health status and mental well being. The 83 donors in the study had an average age of 36 years and had donated a part of their liver almost six years ago. While 39 donors were free of any complaints, the remaining 44 faced a variety of problems. These included fat intolerance and diarrhea in 31%, gastro-esophageal reflux and left liver hypertrophy in 9%, pain in incision area warranting the need of painkillers in 6%, rib pain in 2% and exacerbation of pre-existing psoriasis in 1%. Three donors complained of severe depression. Although 5% reported a reduction in self esteem, an overwhelming 94% were willing to donate their liver again. Three of the donors were refused life insurance cover despite being otherwise healthy. The insurance companies cited lack of sufficient data on live liver donations as a reason. 47% of the donors recommended that more detailed information about the possible long term complications should be made available to the donors prior to the surgery.
The only shortcoming of the study is that there was no control group. Still, in view of the findings of the study, the researchers have recommended a follow up of the live donors for their health status and psychological support.
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