The Leeds Teaching Hospitals offers both adult to adult and adult to child live donor liver transplantation as an option for those patients who need a transplant.
What we do
The aim of live donor liver transplantation is to transplant a recipient at an early stage of their liver failure using a portion of liver from a living donor that has been carefully evaluated as an appropriate match.
By transplanting patients earlier in their disease progression this often prevents them from becoming too sick for liver transplantation and helps in their recovery from major surgery.
Leeds Patient Stories
You can find out more about the Live Donor Liver Transplant Program directly from some of our patients who have told us their stories and the impact that the program has had on their lives.
Contact us
For further information regarding live donor liver transplantation or if you wish to be considered as a potential donor, please contact:
Live Donor Transplant coordinator team consisting of:
Julie Jeffery
Katie McGoohan
Kirsty Saville
Admin – Bharti Champaneri
Useful Documents
Advantages of live donor liver transplantation
The main benefit to the recipient of a liver transplant from a living donor is that there is less chance of the patient dying before a transplant organ becomes available.
The outcomes of LDLT’s show equal if not better results compared to deceased donor transplants. Donating part of a liver for transplant is a major procedure for the donor. However, this is a safe operation in experienced centres. Internationally, the reported risk of death of the donor is estimated to be between 1 in 500 to 1 in 200.
The liver portion removed will regenerate in all cases by twelve to sixteen weeks after partial hepatectomy.
There may be a psychological benefit to the donor and even if the transplant should fail, the donor may take comfort in the knowledge of having done everything possible to save the recipient.
It is hoped that the living donor transplant can be offered at an earlier stage avoiding the deterioration of the recipient’s clinical condition into end stage liver disease.
Live liver transplantation between relatives may provide better histo compatibility matching may provide an immunologic advantage.
Altruistic non-directed liver donation
This is where a person wishes to donate to another person who they do not know. This is a brave and amazing gift that is permitted by UK law. Potential donors follow exactly the same assessment process as those donating to a friend or relative.
Private & overseas patients
The Live Donor Liver Transplant Program welcomes enquiries from individuals from Overseas. We can arrange both liver transplant assessments and potential live donor assessments. The program works in collaboration with the Trust’s dedicated private patients team, who can discuss on an individual basis liver transplant and donor assessment and procedure costs.
Meet the Team
Surgical Team
Peter Lodge
Consultant Hepatobiliary Surgeon
Dhakshina Vijay Anand
Consultant Surgeon in adult and paediatric liver and transplantation
Vivek Upsani
Consultant Surgeon in adult and paediatric liver and transplantation
Mr Shahid Farid
Consultant Surgeon in adult and paediatric liver and kidney transplantation
Miss Barbara Fiore
Consultant Surgeon in adult and paediatric liver and kidney transplantation
Medical Team
Jayne Dillon
Consultant in Hepatology and Transplant Service
Richard Baker
Donor Advocate, Consultant in Renal Services, Nephrology and Transplant Service
Matt Wellbury
Donor Advocate, Consultant in Renal Services, Nephrology and Transplant Service
Chris Hosker
Consultant Liaison Psychiatry
Dr Ramu Chimakurthi
Consultant in Hepatology and Transplant service
Dr Josh Bell
Consultant Radiologist
Allied Health Professionals
Julie Jeffery
Live Donor Liver Transplant Co-ordinator
Katie McGoohan
Live Donor Liver Transplant Co-ordinator
Kirsty Saville
Live Donor Liver Transplant Co-ordinator
Testimonials
Kath: “thank-you so much not only for all your efforts re the live donor process, but also for offering me support at the most difficult time when we were beginning to despair”.
Jamie, Lee, Lisa and Dave: “this has been a massive journey for our family and you have been there every step of the way”.
Nicola: “we have never met but you have made a big impact on my life, my sister donated part of her liver to her daughter … the support you gave her before, during and after the operation was immeasurable .. the NHS frequently gets bad press but I think you’re wonderful”.
Parents: “You are shining lights in the whole process, long may it continue and we pray you are kept happy and healthy so you may illuminate many more liver”.
Sheena: “A big thank you for everything that you have done for me, before, during and after my liver donation operation, you do a fantastic job, can’t thank you enough”.
Jason: “Words cannot express how thankful I am for all your help and support through this roller coaster ride”.
Jeanette: “It is only through your support that I have managed to be a live donor for my mum, you have helped me remain confident, focused and positive in undertaking my operation, whilst supporting my post-operative recovery”.
Annemarie: ”Thank-you for getting me through the live donor operation … I could not have helped my sister without your courage to do your job … she is my twin sister and I would have done anything to save her life … you made that happen”.
Live donor assessment
The living donor assessment process starts by a potential donor contacting the transplant co-ordinator responsible for the Live Donor Liver Transplant Program.
The potential donor will be asked some simple medical screening questions and will need to be able to confirm their blood group or arrange with the co-ordinator to have this done.
- The liver donor will need to have a compatible blood group to the recipient.
- The living liver donor assessment usually takes place over a three week period of time.
The donor will require an extensive assessment to ensure that they are in good physical and psychological health, with no medical or anaesthetic contraindications to undergoing a partial hepatectomy.
We are looking for a donor with normal liver function and anatomy in order for surgery to take place.
All potential donors have an initial meeting with a Consultant Transplant or Donor Surgeon, Physician and Transplant Co-ordinator to discuss the advantages, disadvantages and various stages of the process.
Donors must be 18 years to 60 years.
The transplant co-ordinator will organise dates and timing for much of the assessment, these can be done as an outpatient but we do have a patient hotel for potential donors to stay in if they are travelling some distance.
This process can be terminated at any stage by the donor assessment team if the donor is found to have a complication with their health screening or the donor who also has the option to cancel the process, for whatever reason, at any stage in the assessment.
HTA/independent assessment
Current UK legislation requires all donor/recipient pairs to attend a meeting with an Independent Assessor (IA). In England, Northern Ireland and Wales organ donation from living donors is regulated by the Human Tissue Act 2004.
The IA will interview the donor and recipient and then write a report. This part of the process is to ensure that the donor and recipient have been thoroughly assessed and understand what is involved in giving and receiving an organ. The IA must be satisfied that the donor is not under any pressure to donate and give their consent freely and voluntarily. The IA will make a judgement about the nature of the relationship between the donor and the recipient, and the motivation to donate. The IA must ensure that there is a legitimate relationship between donor and recipient and that there is no financial or other incentive.
News and events
David’s story: “I donated part of my liver to an unknown child because their life is of incalculable worth”. Full story available on British Liver Trust
Teenage son saves dad’s life thanks to liver transplant after becoming perfect organ donor match. Full story available on Blackpool Gazette, 20th Jun 2022
Baby Talia saved just in time after 300-day Covid wait for new liver from dad. Full story available on Mirror Online, 24 Jul 2021
“I didn’t know anybody that needed a liver transplant, but I knew somebody in this world would. That was enough for me.”. Full story available on Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT, 7 Sep 2020
Liverpool daughter calls for more people to become living donors after saving mum’s life with her own liver. Full story available on the The Liverpool Echo website, 07:22, 20 February 2013.
Mother saves baby son’s life by donating a quarter of her own liver. Full story available on the Daily Mail Online, 09:38, 3 August 2011.
First grandad to grandchild liver donor: ‘I gave my grandson the gift of life’. Full story available on the Mirror website, 00:00, 2 January 2011.
Leeds patient stories
Other information
Yorkshire and the Humber Liver Network
The Yorkshire and the Humber Liver Network is a group of gastroenterologists, hepatologists, specialist nurses, general practitioners, practice nurses, public health doctors, community nurses and allied health professionals from our region.
The Human Tissue Authority
The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) is a watchdog that supports public confidence by licensing organisations that store and use human tissue for purposes such as research, patient treatment, post-mortem examination, teaching, and public exhibitions. We also give approval for organ and bone marrow donations from living people.
NHS Blood and Transplant
NHS Blood and Transplant is a Special Health Authority, dedicated to saving and improving lives through the wide range of services we provide to the NHS.