Expanding Access to Liver Transplant: Why Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine Launched an Adult Living Donor Program
For hepatologists and other physicians who treat patients with advanced liver disease, the gap between the number of patients who need transplant and the number of available organs is a familiar challenge.
Clinical Scorecard: Expanding Access to Liver Transplant: Why Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine Launched an Adult Living Donor Program
At a Glance
Category Detail
Condition Advanced liver disease Key Mechanisms Living donor liver transplantation expands donor pool and reduces waiting time for patients. Target Population Patients with advanced liver disease, including those with hepatocellular carcinoma and metabolic steatohepatitis. Care Setting WashU Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Transplant Center, St. Louis, Missouri.
Key Highlights
Established an adult-to-adult living donor liver transplant program in 2025. Living donation can reduce time on the waiting list and improve survival rates. MASH accounted for 20.4% of liver transplant wait list registrations in 2023. The program emphasizes donor safety with rigorous evaluations. The center has performed over 3,000 liver transplants since 1985. Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Identify patients with advanced liver disease who may benefit from living donor transplantation. Management
Utilize living donor transplantation for patients with significant disease burden despite low MELD scores. Monitoring & Follow-up
Monitor patients for disease progression while on the waiting list. Risks
Consider risks of disease progression during waiting periods for deceased donor organs. Patient & Prescribing Data
Patients with advanced liver disease, including those with hepatocellular carcinoma and metabolic steatohepatitis.
Living donor transplantation allows for timely intervention and improved outcomes.
Clinical Best Practices
Implement advanced imaging and surgical planning for donor evaluation. Maintain rigorous medical, surgical, and psychosocial evaluations for potential donors. Support potential donors with a dedicated clinical team to ensure autonomy and confidentiality. Related Resources & Content
