Learn more about our appointment options and resources that are at your disposal.
Liver Transplant Program
About the Liver Transplant Program
A liver transplant is an involved process for all participants. The recipient, the donor, and their families experience a range of emotions and needs. The AHN Liver Transplant Program understands this and created an environment where all needs are met during the complicated and, oftentimes, stressful process. The program was recently named the number one provider in Pennsylvania for shortest time on the liver transplant waitlist.
A transplant may be necessary for decompensated liver cirrhosis (including viral hepatitis, metabolic-associated liver disease, alcohol cirrhosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, acute liver failure, primary liver cancers and metastatic liver cancers including colorectal liver metastasis and neuroendocrine tumor metastasis. Our group offers deceased donor and living donor transplantation. Through exceptional care, tailored treatment, and a multidisciplinary team who supports all health needs, you can feel more confident in your transplant journey. The liver transplant team meets to discuss eligibility of patients with a multidisciplinary approach including:
- Hepatology
- Transplant surgery
- Anesthesiology
- Financial coordinator
- Social work
- Dietitians
- Pharmacy
- Behavioral health to determine who will benefit from liver transplant
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Appointments
Liver Transplant Program
Who is eligible for a liver transplant?
To qualify for a liver transplant, your AHN care team will take multiple factors into consideration. Typically, those who have advanced, irreversible liver disease that is not responding to other treatments qualify for a liver transplant. To understand if the liver disease is advanced enough for a transplant, the condition is often measured using scoring systems like the MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) score or the Child-Pugh score. These scores assess the severity of your liver disease based on lab tests and other factors. Those who qualify must also need to be healthy enough to withstand major surgery and the post-transplant recovery process. There are other health and lifestyle guidelines that need to be followed in order to qualify. Our liver transplant and living donor transplant pages have in-depth information on both options.
What factors affect a patient’s readiness for transplantation?
Readiness for liver transplantation can stem from several different health conditions and lifestyle factors. A person may not be a candidate for liver transplantation due to severe, uncontrolled medical conditions like advanced heart or lung disease that would make surgery too risky. Active substance abuse, such as ongoing alcohol or drug use, is also a common disqualifier, as it can damage the new liver. Untreated or metastatic cancers can prevent transplant eligibility, as the immunosuppressant drugs needed after transplant can worsen the cancer. Finally, a person's inability to adhere to the complex medical regimen post-transplant, due to significant mental health issues or lack of social support, can also lead to disqualification. AHN’s liver transplant and living donor transplant programs provide extensive information on what to consider when seeking a liver transplant.
A liver transplant offers a lifesaving option for individuals with end-stage liver disease or certain types of liver cancer. Health systems and government reports note that there are more than 10,000 people awaiting a liver transplant, highlighting the critical need for this procedure. The transplant process involves a comprehensive evaluation, the surgical transplant itself, and lifelong follow-up care to ensure the new liver functions properly. It's important to understand that the criteria and experience for donating a liver are very different from those for receiving one, primarily due to the significant health challenges faced by transplant candidates.
Liver transplant process
Liver transplant surgery is a complex procedure where a diseased liver is removed and replaced with a healthy liver from a deceased or living donor. Once referred, the patient will undergo testing that includes cardiac workup, social services evaluation, behavioral health evaluation and evaluation by transplant surgeon and hepatologist to determine if you are good candidate for transplant. The surgery involves connecting the new liver's blood vessels and bile ducts to the recipient's body, ensuring proper function. The operation can take several hours, and patients typically require a hospital stay for recovery and monitoring. Lifelong immunosuppressant medications are necessary to prevent the body from rejecting the new organ. AHN’s liver transplant page has more information that can help you understand the process.
Liver donation
Donating a liver is a meaningful and monumental decision that will likely save a person’s life. To be a candidate for a liver donor, the donor undergoes both physical and emotional health exams. Once determined to be a transplant candidate, you will be listed on the donor list. Organ allocation is based on how sick patients are for liver transplant. The AHN living donor transplant page has more information on how this process works.
Liver transplant specialists
The AHN liver transplant specialists are some of the most highly skilled, trained, and compassionate surgeons. AHN is dedicated to providing our patients with health care providers who are not only experienced in their specialty, but who also understand the many emotional aspects of surgery.
Transplant Surgeons
Surgeon
Surgeon
Surgeon
Surgeon
Transplant Hepatologists
Gastroenterologist
Gastroenterologist
Gastroenterologist
Gastroenterologist
Gastroenterologist
Behavioral Health
Transplant Psychologist
Liver Transplant Coordinators
- Emily Bresler RN BSN CCTC-pre transplant coordinator
- Beth Kohler RN BSN-post transplant coordinator
- Wendy Czap RN BSN CCTC-post transplant coordinator
- Cassidy Aredeno RN BSN-living donor transplant coordinator
- Nicole Smith RN BSN-living donor transplant coordinator
- Clayton Marshall, RN BSN
Transplant Pharmacists
- Gretchen Krajcovic, PharmD
- Nicole Schnieders, PharmD
Social Work Coordinators
- Tuesday Ward, MSW, liver transplant
- Rachel Brown, LCSW, living donor transplant
How to get care
Call 412-359-5017 or schedule an appointment with our Surgery Institute.
During this evaluation, our transplant team will asses your overall health, the severity of your liver disease, and whether you are a suitable candidate for a liver transplant or living donor transplant. Not all patients are eligible for one or both of these transplantations. During your appointment, we provide:
- Guidance and education: The transplant team can provide crucial information and guidance about the living donation process, including the risks and benefits for both the recipient and the donor. Those eligible for deceased donor transplants will learn more about being added to the transplant list.
- Initial screening: If eligible for living donor transplant, our team can initiate preliminary assessments to determine if any potential living donors the patient has in mind are likely to be medically suitable.
- Logistical support: The transplant team can help coordinate the evaluation process for potential donors and provide resources for finding a living donor if the patient doesn't have a readily available candidate.
Clinical trials and research
Clinical trials are studies that try to answer questions about new ways to treat patients with new approaches. You participate in a clinical trial only if you volunteer to do so and meet criteria for inclusion in the study, and you can stop participating in a trial at any time.
Currently active liver tumor clinical trials at AHN include the ARTxOnc: Liver transplant for unresectable colorectal liver metastasis.
Who can join a clinical trial?
The plan for the trial, called a protocol, explains what the trial will do and how the study will be done. Based on the questions the research is trying to answer, each clinical trial protocol outlines specific criteria necessary to be eligible to join the trial.
Common criteria for entering a trial are:
- Having a certain type of medical issue or cancer.
- Having received a certain kind of therapy in the past.
- Being in a certain age group.
Federal rules help ensure that clinical trials are run in an ethical manner, with your rights and safety protected. It’s to ensure that you’re not put at increased risk by participating in the trial, and that the results of the study are accurate and meaningful.
Cancer clinical trials and research
The AHN Cancer Institute is a pioneer in cancer research and participates in clinical trials of new medical oncology therapies that are open for patients who qualify and wish to participate. Patients are screened for consideration with ongoing clinical trials at every stage of their treatment. Learn more about our currently active liver cancer clinical trials.
Refer your patient to an AHN specialist
There are three ways for medical professionals, who are not a part of Allegheny Health Network, to refer their patients to an AHN specialist and request their first appointment. You can:
- Call the Liver Transplant Program at 412-359-5017.
- Call (412) DOCTORS 412-362-8677.
- Go to Find Care to find the right AHN specialist and the most convenient location. Then refer your patient, provide relevant patient details, and request an appointment directly from the doctor's profile.
For more information about referring your patient to an AHN specialist, read the Independent Physician Referral FAQs.
After referring your patient
Once your patient is receiving care from an AHN specialist, you can view their test results, see their treatment plan, follow their treatment progress, and collaborate with our team using the EpicCare® Link™ platform.
If you are new to EpicCare Link, or need to request your own EpicCare Link account, read: EpicCare Link for Patient Follow-up, for user instructions and new account request forms.
When EpicCare Link is not an option for a patient's AHN medical records
If you can’t access your patient's AHN test results through the EpicCare Link platform, your patient will need to complete and submit the correct AHN Medical Records Release form, based on their state of residency. Support your patient’s request by downloading the correct medical records release form for them:
EpicCare® is a registered trademark of Epic Systems Corporation and used with permission.
EpicCare® Link™ is a trademark of Epic Systems Corporation and used with permission.