Recovery of Liver transplant

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Following surgery you will be in an intensive care unit for around one or two days. Then, providing there are no complications, you will be moved to another part of the hospital. Most people stay in hospital for around three weeks.

During this time, regular blood and urine samples are taken to make sure that the new liver is working properly.

After you leave hospital, you will have regular check-ups to make sure your liver is working correctly. Your GP will be involved in your follow-up care.

It is very common for the bodyâ€™s immunesystem to reject the new liver. This is treated with drugs called immunosuppressants that will normally have to be taken for the rest of your life. A high dose of these drugs is required soon after your transplant to weaken your immune system, so it finds it harder to reject the new liver. This means your risk of picking up other infections is also higher, but you will be monitored very closely. The dose of these drugs is reduced over time.

You will also have to take the following medicines for the first three months after your transplant:

antibiotics, to reduce the risk of infection,
antifungal liquid, to reduce the risk of infection in your mouth,
and antacid, to reduce the risk of heartburn and stomach ulcers.

Chronic (long-term) rejection of the liver can happen in some people and cannot be helped with these drugs. There are other medicines available that can help but a second transplant is often the best treatment .

It takes around 6-8 weeks for the surgery wound to heal and then around three months to recover fully.