Liver transplantation. A summary of our surgical practice.

At the turn of the new century, liver transplant procedures can finally be considered an efficient treatment option. Technology has helped transplant intervention become a preferred treatment for patients with progressive and irreversible liver failure. New immuno-suppressive drugs have been introduced which reduce the patient's immunological reaction to the implanted organ, entail minimal side effects and improve practical applications of liver transplantation. As a result of these technological advanced and proper disease management, liver transplant procedures are no longer thought of as an elite therapy, reserved for selected patients with end stage liver disease. In our opinion, it is now a sound and valid surgical option with strictly defined characteristics, indications and well-understood limits. Throughout the past decade, we have studied and applied this type of intervention and have come to terms with its rapid expansion at both the theoretical and practical levels. The most significant obstacle remaining today is the discrepancy between the ever increasing demand and limited supply of organs. The future of liver transplant lies in overcoming this obstacle. Liver transplant practice began at our Institute on 23 November 1990 with the first surgical intervention to replace an organ. In the past 10 years, we have exceeded 200 liver transplant procedures.