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| UVa has been conducting transplants since 1967 and has, through the end of 2005, performed more than 1,600 transplants. More Statistics >> |
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Liver Transplantation
Liver transplantation was first introduced as a clinical procedure in the 1960's and is now recognized as a state-of-the-art therapy for patients with end stage liver disease. The University of Virginia Health System performed its first liver transplant in September 1989. Since that time more than 650 liver transplants have been performed at the Health System. The Charles O. Strickler Transplant Center serves the citizens of Virginia as well as many out-of-state pateints who have been referred for particularly challenging cases, and serves as an international referral center for liver transplants.
Recognized Leadership in Providing Comprehensive Care
The University of Virginia Health System has been repeatedly ranked as one of the Top 100 Hospitals in the United States, and U.S. News and World Report has rated our Gastroenterology Division in the top 25 as in the nation and the "Best in Virginia" for the care of patients with liver disease. UVa's Hepatologists, Transplant Surgeons, Coordinators and a variety of specialists provide care for patients throughout the various stages of their illness and recovery.
Our Team Approach
Our multidisciplinary approach to the care of patients who are awaiting liver transplantation incorporates:- aggressive interventional radiologic procedures
- expert pathology analyses
- state-of-the-art liver imaging techniques
- innovative pharmacologic interventions
- advanced surgical management of problems related to ascites
The combination of these options greatly enhances a patient's ability to successfully reach transplantation in the best physical condition possible, which dramatically improves survival and general wellbeing after transplant.
The University of Virginia's Adult and Pediatric Liver Transplant Team consists of Hepatologists, Transplant Surgeons, Clinical Transplant Coordinators, Social Work, Financial Coordinator as well as Research Coordinators. Our program currently employs cutting-edge technology and offers sophisticated techniques such as living related/unrelated liver transplants for both adults and children. Long-term care of each patient is a collaborative effort between the University of Virginia Transplant Team and your referring physician.
Research And Continuous Improvement
Our research efforts into viral hepatitis are world-renowned and have impacted how other transplant centers around the world manage their patients, particularly those with hepatitis B. Innovative use of passive immunization for hepatitis B has resulted in an improved outcome in patients with hepatitis B induced end-stage liver disease. New therapies for patients with hepatitis C are currently being evaluated with promising early results.
Pediatric Transplantation
The University of Virginia Health System offers a full array of pediatric services including a 37-bed acute care unit, a dedicated pediatric emergency room and advanced life support is provided in a 12-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Pediatric support services include social work, pastoral care and nutrition. Excellent consultation services are also available with such subspecialties as pediatric cardiology and pulmonology as well as many others. This team approach assures that each child receives optimal therapy during this highly complex process, and the specialists involved in the care of these children work closely to assure that the child and the family are fully prepared for the transplant experience.
The Charles O. Strickler Transplant Center provides the full continuum of options in liver transplantation including whole organ cadaveric transplants, reduced-size cadaveric grafts as well as living donor transplantation. In 1998 UVa's transplant surgeons also performed the region's first auxiliary liver transplant in a pediatric patient, one of only a handful of such surgeries performed in the world.
Age-Appropriate Care and Follow-Up
The Charles O. Strickler Transplant Center's approach to follow-up care offers continuous medical and surgical services for all age groups. While frequent office visits are necessary initially after discharge for close monitoring of each patient's progress, ongoing follow-up care is coordinated directly with the referring physician or other specialists.
To learn more about the Charles O. Strickler Transplant Center's Liver Transplant Program or refer a patient please call 1-800-543-8814.
| A Note to All Patients ... |
| The United Network for Organ Sharing provides a toll free patient services line to help transplant candidates, recipients, and family members understand organ allocation practices and transplantation data. You may also call this number to discuss a problem you may be experiencing with your transplant center or the transplantation system in general. The toll free patient services line is 1-888-894-6361. |