How much of a donors liver is removed?
Usually, about 40 percent to 60 percent of a donor’s liver is removed. The liver is divided into a right lobe and a left lobe. The anatomical division between the lobes permits surgeons to divide the liver into two distinct parts that can function independently of each other. The right lobe comprises about 60 percent of the total liver volume and the left lobe comprises approximately 40 percent. When the recipient is a child, a piece of the donor’s left lobe, called the left lateral segment, is removed. In adults, the larger right lobe, or right lateral segment, is removed. The operations on the donor and the recipient take place at the same time, in separate operating rooms.
