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VA National Clinical Public Health Programs — Hepatitis C

www.hepatitis.va.gov

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Liver Transplant

What are the benefits of a liver transplant?

With a new liver, you should feel more energetic and healthy because your body is functioning properly again. Hopefully, you will also have a longer lifespan.

According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, for transplants performed between 1996 and 2001:

  • Survival rate after 1 year is 88.1%
  • Survival rate after 3 years is 79.7%
  • Survival rate after 5 years is 74.3%

Transplant recipients who have hepatitis C have slightly lower-than-average survival rates after 3 years. These rates are still higher than those for a person with hepatitis C who is referred for transplant but doesn't get one. The 5-year survival rate for these persons is only 30% to 50%.