Who Can Donate a Liver?

Living-Donor Liver Transplant Criteria and Requirements

Living-donor liver transplants would not be possible without those who choose to donate a portion of their liver to enhance the life of a person with liver disease. This is possible because of the liver’s unique ability to regenerate, or regrow, after donation.

Register to Become a Living Donor

Who Can Become a Living-Liver Donor?

A healthy donor must:

• Be between the ages of 18 and 60.
• Be in good physical and mental health.
• Have a BMI less than or equal to 32.
• Not engage in active ongoing drug or substance use.
• Have an unselfish desire to contribute to another person’s life in a healthy way.
• Be in general good health with no history of:
• Liver disease, including cirrhosis and hepatitis.
• Significant diseases involving the other organs: lung, kidney, and heart.
• Pulmonary hypertension.
• HIV.
• Active malignant cancers.

You do not need to have a compatible blood type to become a living-liver donor at UPMC.

UPMC offers living-donor liver paired exchanges.

In a paired exchange, a living donor and recipient whose blood types are incompatible are matched with another incompatible living donor and recipient.

The living donors agree to swap, or exchange, recipients. This allows both recipients to receive a portion of a compatible liver.

A potential donor must pass the following exams/screenings:

• Blood tests.
• Chest x-rays.
• CT scan.
• Tissue matching.

How Can I Become a Living-Liver Donor?

To become a living donor, you do not have to be related to the recipient. The liver will regrow back to the original size in about three months post-donation. The Living Donor Transplant team understands that every transplant is different, and they will be there with you every step of the way.