Should living liver donation be available in the British National Health Service?
Living liver donation should be available on the British National Health Service (NHS), although it should not be adopted without full public debate and agreement because of the risks to donors, argue researchers. Living liver donation could benefit patients who are likely to die or deteriorate before a cadaveric donor becomes available. It involves a minimum graft-to-donor weight ratio of 1% and the donor’s liver usually regenerates completely in about 12 months. It is currently offered in the United States and parts of Europe, but not in the U.K., wrote the authors in the British Medical Journal. The risk of illness to donors is 40-60% and…
