It's hard to pinpoint the length of a standard liver transplant recovery period.
Since everyone responds to a liver transplant differently, it's hard to pinpoint the length of a standard recovery period. Despite this limitation, there do exist some general guidelines about the duration of each step of the recovery process.
Intensive Care Unit
The first step of recovery from a liver transplant involves spending a few days in the intensive care unit, according to the Mayo Clinic. You can expect to be moved to another part of the hospital once you are stable.
Hospital Stay
Most people spend an average of one to three weeks recovering in the hospital following a liver transplant, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. The UCSF Medical Center notes that this period may last as long as eight weeks for some patients.
Complications
About 80 to 90 percent of transplanted livers work for at least a year, but there are a few complications that can slow or endanger recovery, including organ rejection, the return of the liver problem that necessitated your transplant and thrombosis, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
Full Recovery
Liver transplant recovery time ranges widely from person to person; MedlinePlus puts the average recovery period at 12 weeks. Fully recovered patients will continue to have yearly checkups and take certain medications for the rest of their lives.
Reasons for the Range in Recovery Times
Recovery time varies based on the quality of your health prior to your transplant as well as on how your body responds to your liver transplant, according to the UCSF Medical Center.
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