A new life with a transplanted organ begins in the hospital, right after the transplant operation. The average hospital stay for a liver transplant recipient is less than two weeks, with a stay of two to five days in the intensive care unit.
During the hospital stay, your care team will carefully monitor you. You’ll also receive extensive training on self-care at home and the drugs needed to protect the transplanted organ from rejection (called immunosuppressants).
Recovery at Home
Receiving a liver transplant has potentially great benefits, but it is a life-altering operation. Thus, receiving a transplant also means a lifetime of medication, frequent follow-up visits and ongoing monitoring by doctors and nurses.
Re-operations following liver transplants are not uncommon (most of them are short). Bleeding, bile leaks and infections are the most commons reasons for surgery.