I have first-hand experience! My immune system slowly killed my liver (primary sclerosing cholangitis), and I had a transplant. (btw, for $0, thank you to the Australian health system)
I received a cut-down liver from the donor; I got the bigger lobe, a child recipient got the other lobe.
Within a few months of transplant, the new liver had regrown, but (probably because of the transplant orientation) rather than growing across to the left, it grew down the side of my body.
It's all good and functions fine, it's just that now my right-side of my body isn't as 'saggy' as my left because of the area it grew in to.
It's an amazing organ, and it truly sucks when you don't have a well-functioning one.
Possible? yes. Practical, not really. Living liver donors (at least in Australia) are rare, because (unlike kidney donations) it's an extremely risky procedure for a living donor. My donor was a deceased donor, and I'm forever grateful for their (and their family's) decision.
Wow, I didn't know it was such a small number. I know someone with liver failure due to AATD and amazingly one of his close friends is a match and a healthy non-drinker to boot.
Actually, after doing a bit of reading, repeat living donations aren't possible because the regenerated liver doesn't have the same structure of blood vessels and bile ducts needed for transplant, as well as having the scarring etc from the first transplant. e.g. <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/50hcj4/can_i_repeatedly_donate_my_liver_since_it_can/" rel="nofollow">https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/50hcj4/can_i_re...
frostysonic · · focus · HN ↗
I received a cut-down liver from the donor; I got the bigger lobe, a child recipient got the other lobe.
Within a few months of transplant, the new liver had regrown, but (probably because of the transplant orientation) rather than growing across to the left, it grew down the side of my body.
It's all good and functions fine, it's just that now my right-side of my body isn't as 'saggy' as my left because of the area it grew in to.
It's an amazing organ, and it truly sucks when you don't have a well-functioning one.
ASalazarMX · · focus · HN ↗
frostysonic · · focus · HN ↗
astura · · focus · HN ↗
SecretDreams · · focus · HN ↗
2024: 11,458 total (604 from living donors)
goda90 · · focus · HN ↗
frostysonic · · focus · HN ↗
adamredwoods · · focus · HN ↗
frostysonic · · focus · HN ↗