[Description of the Liver]

Functions of the Liver

The liver is one of the largest and most complex organs in the body. It weighs approximately 1,500-1,800 grams (or about three to four pounds) and is made up of a spongy mass of wedge-shaped lobes. The liver has numerous functions that are necessary for life. The liver helps process carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and stores vitamins. It processes nutrients absorbed from food in the intestines and turns them into materials that the body needs for life. For example, it makes the factors that the blood needs for clotting. It also secretes bile to help digest fats, and breaks down toxic substances in the blood such as drugs and alcohol.

Liver Transplant Procedures

A liver transplant may involve the whole liver, a reduced liver, or a liver segment. Most transplants involve the whole organ but segmental transplants have been performed with increasing frequency in recent years. This would allow two liver recipients to be transplanted from one cadaveric donor or to allow for living donor liver donation. A reduced liver transplant may result if the donor liver is too large for the recipient.

Reasons for Liver Transplants

Liver Diagnosis Categories	Liver Diagnoses
NON-CHOLESTATIC CIRRHOSIS	Laennec's Cirrhosis (Alcoholic) Laennec's Cirrhosis and Postnecrotic Cirrhosis Cirrhosis: Postnecrotic--Type C Cirrhosis: Cryptogenic--Idiopathic Cirrhosis: Postnecrotic--Autoimmune-Lupoi Cirrhosis: Postnecrotic--Type B-Hbsag+ Cirrhosis: Postnecrotic--Type Non A Non B Cirrhosis: Postnecrotic--Type B and C Cirrhosis: Postnecrotic--Other Specify Cirrhosis: Drug/Indust Exposure Other Specify Cirrhosis: Postnecrotic--Type B and D Cirrhosis: Postnecrotic--Type A Cirrhosis: Postnecrotic--Type D PNC CAH
CHOLESTATIC LIVER DISEASE/CIRRHOSIS	Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC) Sec Biliary Cirrhosis: Other Specify Sec Biliary Cirrhosis: Caroli's Disease Sec Biliary Cirrhosis: Choledochol Cyst Choles Liver Disease: Other Specify PSC: Other Specify PSC: Ulcerative Colitis PSC: No Bowel Disease PSC: Crohn's Disease
BILIARY ATRESIA	Biliary Atresia: Other Specify Biliary Atresia: Extrahepatic Biliary Atresia: Alagille's Syndrome Biliary Atresia: Hypoplasia
ACUTE HEPATIC NECROSIS	AHN: Etiology Unknown AHN: Type B- Hbsag+ AHN: Drug Other Specify AHN: Non-A Non-B AHN: Type C AHN: Type A AHN: Other Specify AHN: Type B and C AHN: Type B and D AHN: Type D Hepatitis C: Chronic or Acute Hepatitis B: Chronic or Acute
METABOLIC DISEASES	Metdis: Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Defic A-1-A Metdis: Wilson's Disease Metdis: Hemochromatosis-Hemosiderosis Metdis: Other Specify Metdis: Tyrosinemia Metdis: Primary Oxalosis/Oxaluria-Hyper Metdis: Glyc Stor Dis Type IV (GSD-IV) Metdis: Glyc Stor Dis Type I (GSD-I) Metdis: Hyperlipidemia-II-Homozygous Hy
MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS	PLM: Hepatoma--Hepatocellular Carcinoma PLM: Hepatoma (HCC) and Cirrhosis PLM: Cholangiocarcinoma (CH-CA) PLM: Hepatoblastoma (HBL) PLM: Hemangioendothelioma-Hemangiosarcoma PLM: Other Specify PLM: Fibrolamellar (FL-HC) Bile Duct Cancer (Cholangioma-Biliary Tr) Secondary Hepatic Malignancy Other Specify
OTHER	Other Specifiy Cystic Fibrosis Budd-Chiari Syndome TPN/Hyperalimentation Ind Liver Disease Neonatal Hepatitis Other Specify Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis Familial Cholestasis: Other Specify Familial Cholestatis: Byler's Disease Trauma Other Specify Graft vs. Host Dis Sec to Non-Li Tx Chronic or Acute Benign Tumor: Polycystic Liver Disease Benign Tumor: Other Specify Benign Tumor: Hepatic Adenoma