A name is added to the national transplant waiting list every 12 minutes. Learn about the liver transplant waiting list below, including how long patients wait for transplants and what can influence the wait times.
Liver Transplants by the Numbers
- Over 13,000 Americans are on the national waiting list for a new liver.
- Over 8,000 liver transplants are performed annually in the United States.
- The national one-year survival rate is 90.9 percent.
- The national median wait time for a liver transplant is 15 months.
Factors that Influence Liver Transplant Wait Times
When a liver becomes available, several factors are considered in the matching process from donor to recipient including:
- Blood type – The blood type of the recipient and donor need to be compatible.
- Body size – The size of the donor liver is a factor in the matching process.
- Stage of liver disease – Patients who require liver transplants usually have either acute or chronic liver failure.
- Overall health – The patient must be likely to survive the surgery and post-operative care.
- Availability of matching liver – Geography and timing are important factors because donor livers can be preserved for up to 12 hours.
The Ochsner Multi-Organ Transplant Institute is one of the nation’s leading transplant centers, with more than 5,000 life-saving transplants performed, a median liver transplant wait time of 2.1 months and a 93.8 percent one year survival rate.
Call today to speak with a member of the Ochsner team: 1-800-643-1635
