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The Cleveland Clinic

Digestive Diseases: Liver Transplantation

The liver is the body's largest internal organ, weighing about 3 pounds in adults. It is located below the diaphragm on the right side of the abdomen.

The liver performs many complex functions in the body, including:

  • Produces most proteins needed by the body
  • Metabolizes, or breaks down, nutrients from food to produce energy, when needed
  • Prevents shortages of nutrients by storing certain vitamins, minerals, and sugar
  • Produces bile, a compound needed to digest fat and to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K
  • Produces most of the substances that regulate blood clotting
  • Helps your body fight infection by removing bacteria from the blood
  • Removes potentially toxic byproducts of certain medications

When Is a Liver Transplant Needed?

Liver transplantation is considered when the liver no longer functions adequately (liver failure). Liver failure can occur suddenly (acute) as a result of infection or complications from certain medications or it can be the end result of a long-term problem. The following conditions may result in liver failure.

  • Chronic hepatitis
  • Primary biliary cirrhosis (a rare condition where the immune system inappropriately attacks and destroys the bile ducts causing liver failure)
  • Sclerosing cholangitis (scarring and narrowing of the bile ducts inside and outside of the liver causing the backup of bile in the liver which can lead to liver failure)
  • Biliary atresia (malformation of the bile ducts)>
  • Alcoholism
  • Wilson's disease (a rare inherited disease with abnormal deposition of copper throughout the body, including the liver, causing it to fail)
  • Hemochromatosis (a common inherited disease where the body is overwhelmed with iron)
  • Amyloidosis (abnormal deposits of an abnormal protein called amyloid on the liver that disrupts normal liver function)
  • Liver cancer


Next: How are candidates for liver transplant determined? »

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