Physical Recovery
As soon as a transplant liver is placed into a recipient, the recovery process begins. During the surgery, doctors connect arteries and veins to the new organ in order to facilitate blood flow, a critical component in keeping the transplanted liver alive. Doctors also immediately begin administering powerful anti-rejection drugs, including steroids and immunosuppressants, that prevent the body from rejecting its newest addition. As long as the patient's body does not reject the liver, and the suppressed immune system does not lead to infection, recovery from liver transplant surgery is much like recovery from other surgeries and involves only a natural healing of the doctor's incisions as internal and external cells are regenerated by the body.
In-Patient After Care
A liver transplant is a very serious operation, and most patients who receive a new liver are not immediately released from health care facilities. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, most liver transplant recipients stay in the hospital for one to three weeks after receiving a new liver. During this time, hospital staff members administer a number of anti-rejection drugs that help prevent the body's natural defenses from attacking and rejecting the new organ. Doctors also check for any infections and bleeding (both visible and internal) that may occur after any surgery. Finally, the extended hospital stay provides doctors and staff members an opportunity to educate the liver transplant patient on necessary lifestyle changes, anti-rejection therapy and general liver care.
Immune System Issues
For a period of time after the patient is released from the hospital, she may continue to take immune system suppressing drugs as prescribed by a doctor. These drugs are designed to prevent the body from rejecting the newly transplanted liver, but they also suppress the body's ability to fight off diseases and infections. For this reason, patients recovering from liver transplant surgery are encouraged to keep a safe distance from any individual who may be sick or passively carrying germs until immunosuppressant therapy is complete.
Leading a Healthy Lifestyle
After a liver transplant, many recipients report a number of positive lifestyle changes. Frequent social drinkers or drug users often stop drinking or using just before the liver transplant, and this change may become a permanent adaptation. In addition, recipients generally maintain a low-salt, healthy diet, get their blood tested on a regular basis, and take greater care to avoid sick or infectious individuals. Overweight individuals often undergo weight loss attempts after liver transplants, and doctors encourage transplant recipients to receive treatment for any potential mental illnesses or behavioral issues. Finally, doctors strongly encourage tobacco users to stop smoking or chewing the product after receiving a liver transplant, and the absence of tobacco can, by itself, create a significantly healthier lifestyle.
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