Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays the medical bills for this procedure ?
We do. Well our insurance does. There is no out-of-pocket fees.
Your Medical Team?
You will receive your own medical team that only looks out for you.
Is this legal?
Yes, as long as the recipient and donor are not coerced or given any monetary funds or any other method of payments. Its illegal to sell organs in the United States.
What it takes to be a Living Donor?
A kind of person that is loving and wanting to help others in sustaining a full life.
Can I call to ask questions?
YES, To learn more about liver transplantation at UC San Diego Health Care, please call 888-827-358. If you are serious about being a Living Donor for Bali reference Bali as the patient.
Who can be a donor for Bali?
To become a live liver donor, you must: *Be a willing adult between age 18 and 60. *Be prepared to commit to the pre-donation evaluation process, surgery and recovery. *Be in good health and psychological condition. *Have a compatible blood type "O". *Have healthy liver and kidney function. *Be a healthy weight. *Be willing to abstain from alcohol until fully recovered Compatible blood types . ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ You cannot be a liver donor if you: *Are under age 18 or over age 60 Suffer from heart disease or lung disease. *have an incompatible blood type Have HIV or hepatitis. *Are an active substance abuser. *Have an uncontrolled psychiatric illness.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
General Process Live Donor Liver Transplant Evaluation As part of the live donor evaluation process, you will meet with all members of our live donor team. In addition, several tests are required to determine if you are fit for major surgery and if your liver is suitable for live donation. Completing the entire donor evaluation may take up to two weeks. The tests for a potential liver donor include Blood tests Chest X-ray CT scan Electrocardiogram (EKG) Physical exam Tissue matching.
Where do donated livers come from?
Livers for transplantation come from either a deceased or living donor. Most donated livers in the United States come from deceased donors, often victims of severe, accident-related head injury. Either they have arranged in advance to be an organ donor or their family grants permission for organ donation when the victim is declared brain dead. A smaller number of transplants are performed using living donors, often relatives or friends of the recipient. The person interested in donating will undergo a comprehensive medical and psychological evaluation to make sure they are healthy enough to donate.
What is living-donor liver transplantation?
During a living-donor liver transplant, a portion of a healthy person’s liver (the donor) is removed and transplanted into another person (the recipient) to replace their unhealthy liver. Both the donor’s and recipient’s livers will regrow over the next few months. Receiving a living-donor transplant reduces the amount of time a person needs to wait on the national transplant waiting list.
What are the benefits of a living donor liver transplant?
There are over 14,000 people in the U.S. wait-listed for a liver transplant. Every year, there are people who die or get removed from the waiting list because they’ve become too sick to undergo a transplant or their liver cancer becomes too advanced. Unfortunately, there are many more people waiting for a transplant than there are available organs. Living donation reduces wait time – often by years – allowing someone to get this lifesaving operation when they need it. Living-donor liver transplant:
*Saves valuable time, reducing the risk of the recipient’s liver condition getting worse.
*Typically results in quicker recovery time and improved long-term outcomes for the recipient because they’re receiving a portion of a healthy person’s liver.
*Allows time for the donor, recipient, and caregivers to plan in advance of the operation.
*Saves another life by allowing the next person on the waiting list to receive a deceased donor liver transplant.
Do the donor and recipient have to be related?
No, the donor and recipient do not have to be blood relatives, but they must be determined to be medically compatible. When someone gives an organ to a specific person with whom they are medically compatible, it’s called a “directed donation.” In a directed donation, a donor may be:
*A blood relative of the recipient, such as a parent, sister, brother, or adult child.
*Someone close to the recipient, such as a spouse, friend, or co-worker.
*Someone who the donor has heard about, but does not know personally.
*If a person wants to donate an organ to help a stranger on the waiting list, it’s called a “non-directed donation.” A transplant hospital can match a non-directed donor with a compatible transplant candidate. Some non-directed donors would like to meet their transplant recipient; however, that can happen only if the donor and recipient both wish to meet.
Who pays for expenses associated with being a living donor?
A living donor’s medical expenses, including the pre-transplant evaluation, transplant surgery, and follow-up appointments, are typically covered by the recipient’s insurance. Non-medical costs – such as travel, lodging, meals, childcare, and lost wages – are not covered. While it’s against the law to pay a living donor for an organ, these non-medical expenses may be covered by the transplant recipient. Charities may also be able to help. Work with the hospital’s transplant financial coordinator to learn more about what options exist relative to your specific circumstances. A good resource for those seeking financial assistance with travel expenses is the National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC). The NLDAC provides funding for donors and their caregivers for the evaluation, surgery, and medical follow-up trips. A donor’s eligibility for the program is based on the recipient’s household income. A summary of the program can be found here.
FACTS ABOUT LIVING LIVER DONATION
1. Living liver donation is safe. Your liver is an incredible organ. It actually regrows to its original size within six months of a living liver donation surgery. Like any surgery, the procedure does have some risks. But overall, living liver donation is safe. Our team will always act in your best interests and safety as a donor.
2. Your liver will grow back to its full size. It takes about six months for your liver to fully grow back after a living liver donation surgery. Our ultimate goal is to make sure you’re just as healthy after your living donation surgery as you were before your surgery.
3. You’ll have a complete evaluation that includes tests and screenings to make sure you’re healthy enough to donate part of your liver. The transplant team will perform psychosocial and medical tests to make sure you’ll be safe during surgery—and that you’ll stay healthy after your donation. Some of the testing you will have includes blood tests, urine tests, imaging exams of your liver, and cancer screening.
4. You don’t have to be related to someone to donate a lobe of your liver. In fact, you can donate to family and even friends as long as you have a close emotional connection with your recipient.
5. Your blood type must be compatible with your recipient’s blood type. Besides being healthy, living donors must have a compatible blood type with their liver recipient.
6. You can still have a baby. Are you hoping to have children in the future? Donating a part of your liver won’t make it harder for you to get pregnant or deliver a baby. Living donation doesn’t cause fertility problems for women or men. Still, women should wait one year after their donation surgery before they get pregnant. This gives your body the time it needs to heal.
7. Donors don’t have to pay for their evaluation. Being a living liver donor is an incredible gift. We don’t want costs to stand in the way of your decision. As a living liver donor, the costs you’ll be responsible for are paying for health maintenance tests to make sure you’re healthy enough to donate a part of your liver. These include (but aren't limited to) a: Pap smear, mammogram, and colonoscopy. You may also be responsible for out-of-pocket travel expenses like gas, possible airfare, or food and lodging during your evaluation. You may also need to cover any lost wages while you're recovering from surgery because not all jobs give paid vacation or sick leave. Some living donors are out of work for two to 12 weeks or more.
8. You can get most of the screening tests you’ll need at a lab or hospital near your home. When you get closer to your surgery date, you’ll need to have an evaluation visit at University of Utah Health, where your transplant surgery will also take place. If you live outside of Utah, there are organizations that can help you pay for any travel costs.
9. You’ll need to stay in the hospital after living liver surgery. Most living liver donors stay in the hospital for five to 10 days. The transplant team will also ask you to stay close to Salt Lake City (within two hours driving distance) until your surgeon decides you’re healthy enough to return home.
10. You can talk to other living liver donors. Our living donor program can arrange for you to speak to another donor who has donated a portion of their liver. If you’re nervous or don’t know what to expect, talking to another living liver donor can help you feel more confident about your decision.