Post-Surgical Care - Liver Donation

[scw2u]

My brother needs a liver transplant and I am close to being determined as a match.  I am 35 years and in very good health.  I've gone through all the medical and psychological evaluations, now just waiting to determine if my brother needs a full liver or if he's strong enough for a partial liver from a living donor.

My process has been disjointed in that I had my work-up done at one transplant center, but my brother is being evaluated at a different center (insurance reasons).

The first center where I had my work-up done stated emphatically that they would cover any post-operative complications related to the liver donation if I had surgery at their center for the rest of my life.  They were clear that even though they've been doing the procedure for many years, living liver donors are essentially still "guinea pigs" and they want to follow me for as long as possible.

I haven't had the same level of interaction with the center my brother is at yet and this will be one of my first questions, but I'm wondering if this the standard practice for liver donors or if the first center is unusual? 

[billp]

The critical concept is "post-operative complication" ... what is this?  I developed an incisional hernia about 6 months after my liver donation. Stanford became aware of this at a 1 -year followup, but it made no offer to repair the hernia; even though prior to domation it gave me the kinds of assurance that you recieved.   I think Stanford's idea was that after a couple months post-op with liver funtion tests normal, it was pretty much off the hook. 

The words that you recieve from transplant coordinators or docs do not really have much import.  If liability for the follow stuff is important to you, get it in writing ... especially important to include a clause regarding how the 'post-op' condition's causation will be determined.  If you leave it to the transplant center, there is, of course, a financial conflict of interest.

This being said ... I have absolutely no regrets about my donation.  Even though it has been difficult for my sister; she has had 9 years of good quality life that she would not have otherwise had.  My issues are inconsequnetial.