Live Liver Donor Criteria - Size

[clearleigh]

Hi -

I admit I am posting with almost no information about the topic - a close friend just started experiencing symptoms of end stage liver disease - and I trying to cope by getting information about options. Regarding the topic of living donation, I know that matching appropriately in terms of size/weight is noted as part of the general criteria. Can anyone tell me more about this? I am smaller than my friend, but I'd like to know more about how exact the match needs to be. Are exceptions ever made? What is meant by "appropriate?" I'd like to find out if I'd be an appropriate candidate in terms of other criteria and pursue the appropriate medical evaluations, but it seems like I might get ruled out solely due to our size differential.

Thank you

[Fr Pat]

     Hi. Congratulations on your willingness to look into this possibility.
     if you go to the "LO Home" page of this same site, look up in the upper left corner about information. You can click the line about living liver donation and find about 5 pages of info. Then feel free to post any other questions you have here. Most of the folks here are kidney donors, but living liver-lobe donors are well represented as well and are happy to help.
   best wishes,
       Fr. Pat