Ethics of Liver Transplantation with Living Donors

TLDR

Partial liver transplantation from cadaveric donors is performed worldwide, yet using a living donor parent raises complex ethical issues regarding risk–benefit balance, donor–recipient selection, and informed consent. The article aims to examine the ethical implications of using a parent as a living donor for liver transplantation in a non‑critically ill infant with advanced liver disease. The authors propose transplanting a liver lobe from the parent donor to the infant, detailing the surgical and ethical procedures involved. No additional metadata provided.

Abstract

Liver transplantation involving only a portion of a liver from a cadaveric donor is now performed in several major centers worldwide. We propose to transplant a liver lobe from a living donor — the parent of the recipient — to a noncritically ill infant with advanced liver disease. Although it is technically feasible, such transplantation of an organ from a living donor raises complex ethical issues involving the balance of risks and benefits, the selection of donor and recipient, and informed consent. This article describes the unique ethical aspects of liver transplantation with parents as living donors and describes our . . .