What does a living-donor liver transplant involve?

This procedure involves removing the right lobe of the liver from a living donor through a partial hepatectomy, then transplanting it into the recipient after removing their entire diseased liver. The donor's liver regenerates to near-full size within weeks, while the recipient receives a functional graft that takes over all liver functions. It is a complex surgery requiring precise vascular and biliary reconstruction, typically performed over 6–10 hours.