Split Liver Transplants May Be as Safe as Whole Organ Transplants
Published at(NEW YORK) — A new study shows that doctors may be able to increase availability of donated livers by splitting the donated organs into two and giving each half to a different recipient.
The study, published in the American Journal of Transplantation, showed that splitting the donated livers may be just as safe as a single whole liver donation. Such a finding would allow doctors to double the number of individuals who could receive liver transplants — which is important since 16,000 Americans are on the waiting list for a new liver.
Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic compared 48 split-liver transplants to 121 matched whole-liver transplants over a span of nine years and found no discernible difference in survival rate of the transplanted organs.
The study did note that patients receiving a split transplant did have a higher rate of complications, with some requiring further procedures and potentially surgery. The split transplant is also more difficult, researchers say. Still, with thousands waiting, some in vain, for a donor liver, researchers continue searching for a safe way to increase the number of transplants available.
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