menu trigger  menu trigger
    • Español

    • LIVER TRANSPLANT PROGRAM

    With over a decade transforming the lives of hundreds of patients on the island, we have been pioneers
    in liver transplant in Puerto Rico. Currently, we are close to having helped 500 transplant patients.
    Medical Faculty

    Who requires a liver transplant?

    The most common cases of liver transplants are due to hepatic
    cirrhosis. However, patients with acute liver failure or liver
    tumors are also eligible.

    If you believe that you are a candidate for a liver transplant,
    you must be referred by your hepatologist, gastroenterologist
    or primary care physician, and you must undergo the process
    of evaluation and selection.

    EVALUATION PROCESS

    In order to determine if a patient is a rightful candidate for transplant, several evaluations
    are conducted. These allow us to confirm whether a patient is apt for a liver transplant.

    Evaluation carried out by the transplant hepatologist
    and the transplant surgeon.

    Laboratory tests to evaluate the immune system,
    detect infections, and to perform cancer screening.

    Studies such as X-rays (sonograms, tomographies, among others), cardiovascular studies (electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, among others), and colonoscopy.

    Evaluation carried out by our multidisciplinary
    team (including social worker, finance coordinator,
    nutritionist, pharmacist, among others).

    Specialized consultations in cardiology, psychiatry, pneumology, gynecology, dental, among others.

    Educational Video

    SELECTION COMMITTEE

    Our Selection Committee is a team of health professionals, including but not limited to hepatologists, transplant surgeons, psychiatrists, social workers, coordinators, nutritionists, pharmacists and financial personnel.

    This multidisciplinary contingent is responsible for evaluating whether a patient is an appropriate candidate for receiving a liver transplant. In order to achieve this, each case is analyzed from a medical and psychosocial perspective, and verified so that each patient meets the necessary criteria to maximize the probability of a positive outcome after a transplant. This decision is made with the utmost care in order to ensure that the benefits of each transplant are far greater than the potential risks, thus prioritizing the wellbeing of each patient.

    OUR WAITLIST

    The UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) is the organization in charge of managing the national waitlist for organ transplants in the United States. In the case of patients who are over 12 years of age who require a liver transplant, their position on the national waitlist is determined through the MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) score, which can range from 6 to 40. The higher the number, the greater the patient’s priority for receiving an organ transplant. Once the medical evaluation has been completed and a MELD score has been assigned, the patient becomes part of the UNOS waitlist, where they will wait for a compatible organ. Wait times may vary, depending on the availability of an organ and the gravity of each case.

    Postoperative Care
    and Recovery

    For the majority of patients, hospitalization after a transplant lasts between 7 and 14 days due to intensive monitoring. Once they have been discharged, follow-up care continues to be meticulous and includes laboratory tests and frequent visits to the clinic during the first few months. This process is carried out with the personalized care of our multidisciplinary team, whose members caretake each patient’s nutrition, mental health, medication management and general wellbeing.

    RETURN TO TRANSPLANT