How to get a Liver Transplant (in under 60 seconds)

Learn the basics of the liver transplant process (education only, not medical advice)

Want me to make you a personalized video for you or your friend? Check me out on Cameo!

Want to connect with me and watch more content?
Find me on TikTok!

And Instagram!

All content is intended as medical education or entertainment and is NOT intended to be medical advice. If you have any symptoms concerning you, please schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Join my channel to get access to perks! Click link below:

[erinnh]

Ohh okay. I was thinking you were going to say medicine has come so far that you can do a transplant in 60 seconds.

[Debberdoon]

And don’t forget while on the list you have to be sick enough to need the liver while remaining well enough to survive the transplant.

[carmenpulido]

A neuropsychological evaluation is also part of the process to ensure that the patient has the insight and cognitive ability (eg memory) to follow the post surgical protocol, like remembering to take all medications as prescribed.

[jaiwitt]

As someone with an apparent liver of a 65 year old alcoholic whos drunk everyday for 40 years, being only 27 and dont drink cos it makes me feel like shit and awaiting a liver transplant, this is very good information to give to your audience so i can now just share this when people ask more questions to me haha

[justsyncopated]

I just got my liver transplant on 7/18 🥰. Evaluation took nearly 4 months, and I'm a relatively young and healthy candidate! Was only listed for 12 days before I got the call (indication PBC/AIH).

[danamcgarry]

Super interesting! My niece received a liver at 17 yrs in 2006. She had undiagnosed Wilson's disease which revealed itself when she got Mononucleosis. Her donor died tragically at the same age and 50 miles away. She now has 4 healthy children and is living her best life. Be an organ donor!

[smithgms]

My son had a liver transplant when he was 16 months old due to a rare genetic condition affecting his bile ducts. Its important to remember liver failure can effect a range of people and backgrounds. Being a donor is one of the greatest gifts and legacies you can leave behind. We will always be grateful to the family who gave us more time with him

[nickrobinson]

I Thank God everyday for my transplant!❤

[zachg]

Thank you for explaining this so well! Always been curious about this topic and your video was very informative.

[paulmorris]

As someone stage 4 (liver failure) who cannot get final approval to go on the list even with a high MELD score (thanks to permanent TPN use (which damages the liver further but is necessary since my digestive system is shot) and other illnesses that will likely effect my post transplant survival), so few people understand just how complicated the transplant system is, not to mention the importance of becoming an organ donor. Thank you for bringing more awareness to just how much goes into become a transplant recipient.

[Aces]

My sister had a liver transplant April 1st, 2020, so here is some stuff I remember from her experience: MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) scores range from 6-40 and use your sodium, creatinine, INR, and bilirubin levels to determine your score. A higher score doesn’t necessarily mean someone is more physically sick; someone with a MELD score of 10 could be sick enough to be hospitalized, while someone with a 15 could feel “ok” enough to go about their day to day life. It really depends on the person and their diagnosis.
Your location (in the US at least) also affects when you get your transplant. The US is split into 11 regions and shares organs state by state within those regions. People in region 3, for example, have a lower average MELD score (I think it was around 10) at the time of transplant than people in region 5 (20-25).

[riolu]

It's videos like this that convince me more and more to become an organ donor. If something bad may happen to me, I want to help others to the best of my abilities, and I wouldn't care that much if you take something out of me, I'd be dead. Thanks anyway for being so informative

[alexbird]

I am a liver transplant coordinator for pediatric patients. I love it. Your videos are amazing as the topics are very relatable! Keep it up!

[hs]

Took months for all the testing, but I was one of the lucky ones as I was officially on the list for 5 days before I got the call. My liver transplant was so complex, from a prior Whipple Surgery, that I had 3 days of surgery. 1 to attach the liver, 1 to remove my spleen and remaining pancreas, 1 for abdominal hernia and to close up the wound.

[tommiegirl]

And sometimes the story doesn't end happily. Shout out to my friend Kelly, who lost her daughter to liver disease just 6 days after she was put on the list. Very informative as usual, Doc Schmidt, thank you for the education!

[amandahayes]

As a transplant nurse.... Thank you! This is so great!!!

[tekbox]

This is really interesting I'd love more of these for other topics

[datspiffypancake]

My next to youngest brother was born with Biliary Atresia and had a liver transplant at 7 months old and is now getting ready to be 16 this year & is still going strong ❤

[mobanstudio]

Also, someone with a healthy liver can donate a part and it will regrow leaving you with a normal life, and you don't have to know a person who needs one (hospital can match you), and a liver portion from a living donor is much more effective AND electing to be an organ donor on your license won't get you a call or anything for local matches, you'll only end up donating organs if you die in specific ways.

[amandamcdonald]

Is this the same process for kidney transplants? I’ve been on the list for 3 years and am 40 years old, due to lupus nephritis.