Living donor liver transplantation is a safe and highly successful treatment method. After transplantation, approximately 90% of patients live a healthy, dialysis-free life at the end of the first year. Anyone over the age of 18 who is mentally competent can become a donor if they are found medically suitable following detailed evaluations.

In this procedure, a segment or lobe of the liver is surgically removed from a suitable donor and transplanted into a recipient suffering from liver failure. Blood group compatibility between the recipient and the donor is mandatory to ensure successful outcomes.

Legal Framework in Turkey

In Turkey, solid organ transplantation is legally permitted up to fourth-degree relatives. Transplants from non-relatives or donors beyond this degree require approval from the Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health. Before surgery, both the donor and the recipient undergo thorough medical and psychological evaluations to ensure safety and suitability. Transplantation proceeds only under optimal conditions.

Donor Safety and Ethical Principles

Becoming a liver donor may seem worrying at first, but helping someone regain their life is one of the most rewarding experiences possible. The well-being of the donor always comes first. All donor candidates are extensively examined to ensure that having only one liver segment will not pose health risks. If any potential risk is detected, the donation is immediately cancelled, and the situation is clearly explained to both parties.

Not everyone who wishes to donate a liver can do so. Only individuals determined to be completely healthy and medically suitable after detailed evaluations, screenings, and laboratory tests can become living liver donors.

Recovery and Regeneration

Remarkably, the remaining portion of the liver in a living donor grows back to its original size within approximately three months and continues to function normally throughout life. This operation does not cause permanent loss of function or reduce the donor’s quality of life. After donation, donors are advised to follow a healthy lifestyle, which includes proper nutrition, avoiding alcohol and smoking, and regular medical check-ups. Donors are not considered patients after donation, as the surgery does not result in long-term disability or functional loss.