Living liver donors: a coordinator's perspective

Prog Transplant. 2003 Jun;13(2):82-7; quiz 88-9. doi: 10.1177/152692480301300202.

Abstract

Living donor liver transplantation is an acceptable alternative for many patients awaiting a liver transplant. The benefits of living donor liver transplantation to the recipient are many; however, there is also an appreciable risk to the donor. Many people, including healthcare professionals, believe that living donor liver transplantation is not ethically justified because any risk to a donor outweighs the benefit to the recipient. Recent studies show adverse events in this population do not include only medical complications; any complication-medical, social, psychological, financial, or other--must be examined to analyze the true incidence of adverse outcomes in living liver donors.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Attitude to Health
  • Case Management
  • Communication
  • Continuity of Patient Care
  • Humans
  • Liver Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Liver Transplantation / nursing
  • Liver Transplantation / psychology
  • Living Donors* / psychology
  • Nurse's Role
  • Patient Selection
  • Risk Factors
  • Tissue and Organ Procurement*