English

Is liver transplantation a risky procedure? What are possible complications after liver transplant?

The procedure is definitely risky, but the risk is in the range of 5-10%. But, since liver transplant is carried out only in very sick patients who would not be able to survive for more than a year without the transplant, the benefits far outweight the risks, as the transplants afford survival rate of 90 to 95 percent. The complications can be grouped into 3 different sets- technical complications which are related to the stitching of the vessels, complications arising due to rejection which occurs in about 20% to 30% of the cases, and lastly, complications due to infections which are quite serious and can be life-threatening.