Shortage Of Donor Livers - An Every Day Dilemma For UK Doctors

Main Category: Transplants / Organ Donations
Also Included In: Liver Disease / Hepatitis
Article Date: 28 Aug 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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In the UK there is a shortage of donor livers for transplant. There are currently 380 patients waiting for a liver transplant, of whom 38 are aged 25 years or less. In July 2009 alone, 12 patients who were listed for liver transplant died before a liver could be found for them or because they became too ill to undergo the operation. Deciding who should get the precious donated liver is a dilemma that UK doctors face every day.

Liver allocation guidelines have been drawn up by the NHS Blood and Transplant Liver Advisory Group, after discussion with health care professionals and the public, to ensure there is transparency and fairness in organ allocation and to assist clinicians to decide whom amongst their patients will receive a life-saving liver transplant.

Dr Mark Hudson, Consultant Hepatologist of the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, and a member of the NHS Blood and Transplant Liver Advisory Group said, "The decision whether to offer a transplant to patients with severe alcoholic liver disease is complex, involving many clinical advisors including transplant surgeons and physicians, psychiatrists and alcohol support counsellors. They take into account the risk to the patient of dying without a liver transplant, as well as the expected outcome and survival from a transplant.

"If the team believe that there is a high chance that a patient might return to alcohol consumption or any other behaviour which would harm the transplanted liver then that possibility must be considered as to whether a transplant is appropriate. There is no absolute rule that a patient must have been abstinent for 6 months prior to being accepted onto a transplant list. The guidelines are published on the NHSBT website at http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk."

Professor James Neuberger, Associate Medical Director of NHS Blood and Transplant, said, "The UK has one of the lowest organ donor rates in Europe. Decisions about whom should receive a life saving liver and other organ is a daily dilemma faced by transplant surgeons across the country. The solution to this problem lies in increasing the number of organ donors. I strongly urge everyone to join the NHS Organ Donor Register. Call the Donor Line on 0300 123 23 23, go to http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk or text SAVE to 84118 and let your family know of your wishes."

Source
NHS Blood and Transplant