Living Liver Donation

Find the support and expertise you need at University Health Transplant Institute to get a living liver donation to replace your diseased liver.

Expert, High-Volume Living Liver Donations

Living liver donation can save your life by removing a section of a donor’s liver and placing it in you. Choose University Health Transplant Institute because we are the only program in South and Central Texas to offer living-donor liver transplants. Our surgeons performed the second-highest number of living-donor liver transplants in the country in 2019.

We are a living liver donor Center of Excellence designated by OptumHealth.

Unique Approach to Living Donation Benefits You

Take advantage of our superior approach to living liver donation that helps you get a liver transplant quicker:

• Streamlined donor evaluation process allows transplant surgery scheduling within a month of when your donor meets the liver donation criteria. This process helps you avoid life-threatening liver disease complications.
• Evaluating up to five potential donors at the same time to create a bigger donor pool.
• Innovative approaches allowing you to match with and swap live donors with another recipient if you and your donor do not have compatible blood types.
• Inspiring donations by encouraging patients to share their stories on social media.

Living Donation from Family

If you become too sick to wait for a deceased-donor liver transplant, a living donor may be your only option for a transplant.

Talk to your transplant coordinator about getting a liver from a living donor to speed your transplant process. A family member or close friend may donate part of their liver to you.

Learn more about who can become a living liver donor.

Transplant Donor Champion

Take advantage of our transplant donor champion—a dedicated, knowledgeable resource for you. Guidance and support from your champion includes:

• Assistance with the living donor process
• Teaching you and others about living donation
• Teaching you how to speak to family and friends about your need for a living donor
• Using social media networking to raise awareness of your situation

Benefits of a Living-Donor Transplant

When a living liver donation at University Health is your best option, you’ll appreciate:

• Better long-term results and quicker recovery times
• Flexible planning and scheduling of your transplant
• Greater life expectancy after their transplant
• Positive emotional experience for you and your donor
• Transplant before you develop more health complications
• Understanding of the donor’s medical history

Quick Living Donor Process

When someone agrees to be your liver donor, the following process will begin:

• Screening and blood test for your potential donor to determine if you have compatible blood types.
• If you have compatible blood types, your donor will have an in-depth medical evaluation within two days. The assessment will tell your doctors if the donor is a good fit.
• If the donor evaluation results are satisfactory, the selection committee and your insurance must approve the donation to move forward.
• Your transplant surgery will take place within a month of finding an approved donor match, shortening your wait by years.

Paired Liver Donation

Increase your chance of receiving a living-donor liver by participating in University Health’s paired liver donation program. If you and your potential donor’s blood types aren’t compatible, your donor is matched with another recipient, and you’ll be matched with another live donor.