| [ Summary ] |
In December 2003, a survey was conducted on 2,667 live donors for liver transplantation by the Japanese Society of Liver Transplantation. The main purpose of this survey was to assess the health, psychological and social status of the live donors, to improve the live donor liver transplantation systems. In pediatric liver transplant cases, the majority of donors were the parents. In contrast, the relationships to donors varied in adult transplant recipient cases. Even a year after surgery, half of the cases involving liver donors still had some complications, mainly gastrointestinal symptoms and those related to surgical wounds. Mean convalescence time after donation was 16.4 ± 15.4 weeks (median : 12 weeks). Based on analyses of this data, we consider it important to inform donor candidates not only of the risk of death and surgical complications but also those physical and social problems that may occur after donation. As hepatologists and pediatricians have the initial opportunity to provide such information to donor candidates, physicians are considered to play an important role. We establish a supportive environment for donor candidates to help make voluntarily decisions. It is necessary to establish a close link between the referring physician and the transplant team. |