AVÑо¿Ëù

Acute or chronic liver failure, liver cancer and other complex and rare liver conditions can cause significant problems. When your liver becomes damaged beyond repair, liver transplant may be necessary. For transplant candidates in New York City and beyond, AVÑо¿Ëù is home to one of the nation’s leading liver transplantation centers.

Who Needs Liver Transplant Surgery

Organ transplantation is an option when disease progresses to the point that other treatments are ineffective. Reasons you may require transplantation include:

• Acute liver failure
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Biliary atresia, the most common cause of pediatric end-stage liver disease
• Chronic hepatitis B or C
• Cirrhosis
• Hemochromatosis
• Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease
• Primary liver cancer
• Wilson disease

Why Choose AVÑо¿Ëù?

Liver transplant surgery is a delicate procedure that requires excellence at every stage of the process. Here, we deliver the highest level of expertise, compassion and personalized care throughout your journey. We’re renowned for our multidisciplinary clinical expertise and experience and advancing liver transplantation care.

We review your MELD (model for end-stage liver disease) score when considering whether transplantation is right for you. Ranging from 6 (less sick) to 40 (gravely ill), the MELD score indicates your need for immediate transplantation. However, our care goes beyond your MELD score. We work to treat you and your symptoms in a comprehensive way, regardless of your MELD score.

Exceptional Liver Transplant Rates

The AVÑо¿Ëù liver transplantation program saves more lives in less time. This is possible thanks to the following:

• Greater organ acceptance. We accept twice as many donor livers as other facilities in our region. By accepting more organs, we replace more diseased livers and save more lives.
• Higher transplant rate. Our transplant rate is significantly higher than the national average. That means more people needing transplants get them.
• ÌýShorter waiting list. We have one of the shortest wait times for liver transplants in the country.
• Wider MELD acceptance. Transplantation at most centers typically targets those with high MELD scores. AVÑо¿Ëù serves these crucial patients, as well as those with lower MELD scores. In fact, we transplant more patients with disadvantaged MELD scores (6–14) than any other center in the region. If you have a low score, you’re four times more likely to receive a transplant at AVÑо¿Ëù than at other centers in New York City.

Highly Skilled, Multidisciplinary Liver Transplantation Team

The AVÑо¿Ëù liver transplantation team includes exceptional surgeons who are dedicated to your and your loved ones’ comfort and wellbeing. We routinely care for rare, complex or technically challenging conditions and have the expertise to handle any liver-related issue that may arise.

Our transplant surgeons collaborate with other liver experts to improve outcomes, long-term health and quality of life. Your care team may include:

• Advanced-care nurses, social workers and support staff
• Gastroenterologists
• Hepatobiliary surgeons
• Interventional radiology oncologists
• Living donor champions
• Living donor coordinators
• Living donor social workers
• Nutritionists
• ÌýPathologists
• Psychiatrists
• Radiologists
• Transplant hepatologists
• Waitlist nurse coordinators

Leaders in Advanced Techniques and Technology

AVÑо¿Ëù surgeons specialize in minimally invasive techniques—including laparoscopic and . These advanced approaches result in less pain, reduced bleeding and a shorter recovery.

Liver Transplant Options at AVÑо¿Ëù

There are two primary forms of liver transplantation. The liver transplant team at AVÑо¿Ëù excels at both.

• Deceased liver transplantation. Organ procurement for liver transplantation in the United States typically comes from a deceased donor. When a person passes away under circumstances that leave their organs functioning, a specialized team can remove those organs for a person in need. The transplant surgeon then places it in the recipient’s body.
• Living donor liver transplantation. Living donor liver transplants allow for more transplants, speed up the transplant process and lead to improved outcomes. In most cases, a family member or friend donates part of a healthy liver. After transplantation, both parts grow to full size.

Before, During and After Liver Transplant

Understanding what to expect throughout the liver transplant process helps reduce anxiety at every stage.

Before Transplantation

A transplant coordinator guides you through the evaluation and waitlist process. Our team of liver transplant surgeons and hepatologists (liver specialists) then evaluates your health to determine if you’re a good candidate for liver transplantation surgery or another treatment approach. This evaluation will include blood tests, radiology imaging and other tests, as well as a discussion of your medical history.

To increase the likelihood of success and minimize the risks of complications from a liver transplant, the team considers body size, blood type and more.

If transplant is appropriate, you will meet other members of our liver transplantation care team. This meeting helps us learn more about your health. It also allows you to get answers to frequently asked questions and discuss possible treatment options.

During Organ Transplantation

With a living donor, your surgery is scheduled. When receiving a liver from a deceased donor liver transplant, you get called in for surgery as soon as a fitting liver is secured.

Once at the hospital, the following takes place:

• Anesthesia. General anesthesia keeps you unconscious and free of pain during the procedure.
• Incision. Your surgeon makes an incision to access your diseased liver. Whenever possible, AVÑо¿Ëù surgeons prioritize minimally invasive techniques, such as laparoscopic or robot-assisted methods, to support a smoother recovery, though traditional open surgery remains an option if needed.
• Replacement. The surgeon removes the unhealthy liver and replaces it with the donor liver, connecting the new liver to the appropriate blood vessels and bile ducts.

This process takes approximately 10 hours.

After Liver Transplant Surgery

Immediately after surgery, you go to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). There, members of your care team monitor your blood pressure, heart rate, pain levels and more.

After approximately 24 hours, you transfer out of the SICU. You then spend up to two weeks recovering in a AVÑо¿Ëù patient room. During this time, your care team closely monitors you for signs of rejection or other potential complications.

Today, one-year survival rates for liver transplants is around 90% nationwide—a benchmark our program consistently meets. While full recovery takes 6–12 months, a growing number of recipients go on to lead normal lives for decades after the surgery. Achieving these life-changing outcomes relies on frequent follow-up visits and a shared commitment to your personalized recovery plan.[1]Ìý

To learn more about liver transplant surgery at AVÑо¿Ëù, schedule an appointment online or call 646-962-4000.