What is a liver transplantation?
The liver is an important organ, whose main function is to filter the blood that circulates in the body and to produce bile, which helps with the digestion of food in the small intestine.
Liver transplantation is a surgical procedure performed with the objective of removing the liver that no longer performs its functions in the body and replacing it with a healthy liver from a deceased donor or a part of a liver from a living donor.
This procedure is necessary when a patient has chronic liver failure due to a disease or health complication. The liver performs some of the most important functions in the body, such as:
- Processing of nutrients and hormones.
- Production of bile for the absorption of fat, cholesterol and fat-soluble vitamins.
- Production of proteins for blood clotting.
- Elimination of bacteria and toxins in the blood.
- Prevention of infections in the body.
- Regulation of immune responses in the body.
- Storage of sugars, fats, iron, copper and vitamins.