About 8 in 10 of the donors felt as well as they felt before the surgery and all have returned to normal daily activities such as driving, shopping and exercising. In fact, 93% of the donors rated their own health as very good or excellent.

However, people considering living liver donation should know that it takes time to return to everyday activities. Within the first three months after surgery, problems such as incision or muscle pain were most commonly reported. Hernia, bile leak, obstruction and infection were reported less frequently, while some donors did not report any medical problems.

Most donors reported no current medical problems. Of those that reported some, stomach muscle pain was the most common problem. Other problems included indigestion, discomfort and fluid retention.

In addition, living donors may experience anxiety and depression during recovery. Less than half of the donors felt anxious and depressed, and less than one quarter continued to have emotional problems related to the surgery after three months. A small number of donors reported ongoing emotional problems due to concern for the recipient’s health. It is important to remember that living donation is a treatment–not a cure–for the recipient.

Family and friends play an important role during recovery. One donor commented, "Immediate post-op period was difficult. It was extremely beneficial to have a supportive family to help out, both in the hospital and after discharge." However, some donors reported strained relationships with the recipient (11%) or other family members (23%) after donation.

The New York Center for Liver Transplantation, Inc. (NYCLT)
99 Troy Road, Suite 200, East Greenbush, NY 12061 • (518) 533-7877 • www.nyclt.org