Accepted Answer

I'll get back with more specific details regarding her liver - but generally if she is completely healthy (not obese or with other illnesses or disorders), the dangers are the same as with any surgery - very rare reactions to the anesthesia; blood clots, pneumonia, and post op infection. To prevent the blood clots and pneumonia, which can occur again after any surgery, she should be instructed to take deep breaths and cough every few hours (helps keep the lungs open and prevents lung infection or pneumonia from setting in) and she should begin moving her legs every two hours and then get up and start walking as soon as she is instructed to after surgery (this prevents stasis or pooling of blood in the extremities and so prevents blood clots from forming in the legs or from breaking off and going to the lungs, brain or heart. It also helps weakness of the heart and muscles to occur, which can occur quickly if one lays in bed immobile). These are things you should be instructed to do as well as your sister after surgery. Additional things: Holding a pillow to the abdomen (incision site) is recommended when taking deep breaths and coughing (works as a splint), this helps keep the pain down when one coughs and moves, and takes the deep breaths. Also, it is important to receive pain medication as the pain begins, rather than waiting until the pain is very bad (if you wait until the pain is very bad, it takes more of the pain medication than it will if you get it before it gets really bad). Doctors and nurses are aware of this as this is a component of pain management which they are all taught, and initially both of you will recieve pain medication around the clock. After a few days though the pain may begin to decrease and you will be taken off the around the clock medications. So this is when you need to be aware of when to ask for the medicine. Of course by the time you leave the hospital normally you all will not need anything but a few times per day. I'll get back with your shortly about whether there will be any growth of her liver back (it would help if you would tell me her age and whether or not she is healthy) and averages of how long she will be off her feet (probably just a few days - but she may not be ready to return to work for a week or two - again - this depends on how well she does after surgery and this is predicted by how healthy she was before hand and whether or not she is able to do the deep breathing and getting up soon after surgery). She will not need any meds for life - only you will need meds for life to prevent rejection.

Edited by Susan Ivy on 10/29/2009 at 8:49 PM

Expert:	Susan Ivy
Pos. Feedback:	99.2 %
Accepts:
Answered:	10/29/2009

Nurse (RN)

BSN, MSN, CNS