History
The first human liver transplant was performed in 1963 by Dr. Thomas E. Starzl. Since then, more than 25,000 liver transplants have been performed worldwide. Improved techniques and the development of anti-rejection drugs have made liver transplantation a treatment of choice for many patients with end-stage liver disease.
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In 2008, the Emory Transplant Center expanded its Atlanta liver transplant program to provide better access to liver transplantation for patients in Georgia and across the Southeast. Dr. Stuart J. Knechtle joined the team in July, 2008 as the program's Surgical Director. Under the leadership of Dr. Knechtle and Medical Director Dr. James Spivey, Emory's Liver Transplant Program provides outstanding care, treatment, and follow-up to all our patients.
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In July 2009, Emory transplant surgeons were the first in the state of Georgia to perform a very rare domino liver transplant. The procedure saved two lives: It cured a rare disease (Maple Syrup Urine Disease, or MSUD) in one patient and dramatically improved the quality of life in the other patient, who has suffered a lifetime battle with hemophilia, and more recently hepatitis C. In a domino liver transplant, a liver from a deceased donor is transplanted into the first recipient, and the first recipient's liver is then transplanted into a second recipient. Fewer than 100 domino liver transplants have been performed in the U.S.
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Emory's Living Donor Program now accepts both biologically and emotionally related donors. Living donor transplantation can drastically shorten a patient's wait time for a new liver, and it can also strengthen the bond between donor and recipient. To date, Emory has performed over 35 living donor transplants.
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Emory is at the forefront of cutting-edge research in liver transplantation, offering treatments that are available at only a few transplant centers around the country. These novel treatments include liver transplantation in HIV-positive patients and patients with cholangiocarcinoma, cancer of the bile ducts.
