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​Living Liver Donor Evaluation
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Your Health is Our First Priority

Our evaluation process ensures that you understand all of the steps required and that you are healthy enough to donate part of your liver.

Contact Us

Living Liver Donor Assessment Office
Transplant Clinic, Peter Munk Building – 12th Floor
Toronto General Hospital
585 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 2N2
Phone: 416 340 4800 ext. 6581
Fax: 416 340 4317
Email: livingdonorliver@uhn.ca

Common Questions About Living Liver Donation

 

Common Questions About Living Liver Donation with Zubaida Mohamed

Living Liver Donor Evaluation Process

Submit a Donor Health History Form , along with documentation of your blood type to the Living Liver Donor program.

If you are a suitable donor, the program will contact you for a preliminary appointment. A preliminary appointment includes: blood tests, ECG, chest x-ray and meeting a transplant assessment coordinator and donor doctor.

If a liver transplant is right for you, you will move onto the second step of the evaluation. You may have some or all of these tests

  • CT Scan
  • Pulmonary function test
  • Psychological assessment
  • Additional heart tests (e.g., echocardiogram, exercise stress test)
  • MRI
  • Consultations for weight loss
  • Liver biopsy

Additionally, you will meet with a social worker, an independent medical team, and an anesthesiologist.

Depending on your results, you may have to meet other healthcare professionals and go through other tests.

After your evaluation is done, your donor team will review all your test results and will talk to you about whether donating a part of your liver is right for you.

You may be approved to become a liver donor if:

  1. All required tests and consultations have been completed.
  2. You have met and talked with all members of the donor team who are involved in your evaluation.

Donor safety is our first priority. We will not compromise the donor assessment process even if the donor is very sick.


For more information, please review the Living Liver Donor Manual and other materials in our Resource Library.


Staying Healthy

It is important to stay healthy while you are being evaluated as a donor and before your surgery. The donor team recommends the following:

DO
  • Keep a healthy diet.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Use condoms for sexual activity.
  • Avoid contact with sick people.
DO NOT
  • Take part in high-risk activities that may give you infections. This includes unprotected sex, drug use, tattoos and piercings.
  • Smoke. You need to stop at least 4 weeks before your surgery. It is best if you quit smoking if you want to be a donor.
  • Drink alcohol. You should stop drinking when you decide to become a donor.
  • Use any drugs without your doctor's approval. You do not use any non-prescription medication unless you have checked with the donor team.

Your Journey as a Living Donor

Learn more about what to expect at every step of your living donor journey. For a comprehensive list of helpful resources that will guide you through your donor journey as well as articles and videos on living organ donation, visit our Resource Library.

If you wish to speak with a living liver donor or recipient, please contact our office.


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