Review
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 7, 2008; 14(1): 15-21
Published online Jan 7, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.15
Historical perspective of living donor liver transplantation
See Ching Chan, Sheung Tat Fan
See Ching Chan, Sheung Tat Fan, Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
Correspondence to: Professor Sheung Tat Fan, Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China. stfan@hku.hk
Telephone: +852-28554703
Fax: +852-28184407
Received: August 21, 2007
Revised: September 28, 2007
Published online: January 7, 2008
Abstract

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has gone through its formative years and established as a legitimate treatment when a deceased donor liver graft is not timely or simply not available at all. Nevertheless, LDLT is characterized by its technical complexity and ethical controversy. These are the consequences of a single organ having to serve two subjects, the donor and the recipient, instantaneously. The transplant community has a common ground on assuring donor safety while achieving predictable recipient success. With this background, a reflection of the development of LDLT may be appropriate to direct future research and patient-care efforts on this life-saving treatment alternative.

Keywords: Historical perspective; Living donor liver transplantation