Why do people need liver transplants?
With adults, the most common causes are chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis (which, has many causes in itself, but in Thatcher’s case—alcohol abuse). With children and younger adults, the most common cause of liver transplantation is biliary atresia—a condition when the bile duct does not form properly. How can someone only donate a part of their liver? Meredith is considered a living donor. Living liver donors may donate one of their two lobes (around half of the liver). Then, after approximately six to eight weeks, the liver cells in the remaining lobe will grow, regenerating the entire liver back to its original size. They select which lobe to donate, usually depending on the results of the donor’s preoperative testing. However, general rules imply that if the donor plans to donate to an adult larger in size, they donate their right lobe (Thatcher exceeds Meredith in size, therefore he will be receiving her right lobe). How come Thatcher wasn’t on a transplant list again? Dependi
