Transplant Unit

Your body’s immune system protects you from infection by recognising certain foreign bodies, like bacteria and viruses, and destroying them. Unfortunately, the immune system sees your new liver as a foreign substance.

Rejection is an attempt by your immune system to attack the transplanted liver and destroy it. To prevent rejection, you must take anti rejection medications as prescribed for the rest of your life. ( Further information regarding these drugs is given in the medicines section )

While you are in hospital you will continue to be closely monitored, and your liver function will be assessed. Despite taking anti rejection therapy, up to 60% of all patients develop some degree of acute rejection in the first few weeks following a transplant. This is known as ‘acute rejection’ and is treated quite successfully with a three day course of high dose steroids.

The symptoms of rejection vary. Some people feel feverish and more lethargic. Some people notice that they become more jaundiced, or feel itchy. Others feel no symptoms at all but changes in liver function are detected on their blood tests. The suspected diagnosis of acute rejection is usually confirmed by a liver biopsy.

A very small proportion of patients experience a different type of rejection – known as chronic rejection. This occurs later, and is more difficult to treat and may occasionally lead to the need for a second transplant.