Preparing for transplant surgery for liver cancer
You won't get very much notice before your liver transplant. When a suitable donor liver becomes available you need to go straight into hospital.
This information is for people who are having a liver transplant. We have separate information if you are having part of your liver removed. Your doctor might call this a liver resection or a hepatectomy.
Preparing for a liver transplant
It's helpful to have a bag packed ready for when you get the call to go in. Take in:
- nightgowns or pyjamas
- underwear
- dressing gown
- slippers
- contact lenses, solution, glasses and a case
- wash bag with soap, a flannel or sponge, toothbrush and toothpaste etc
- sanitary wear or tampons
- towel
- small amount of money
- medicines you normally take
- magazines, books, playing cards
- headphones and music to listen to
- a tablet or smartphone for web browsing, entertainment and phone calls
- chargers for electronic devices
- a copy of your last clinic letter (if you have one)
It might also be useful to think beforehand about arrangements you need to make. For example, childcare or looking after your pets or house while you are in hospital.
You will have regular tests and check ups while you are waiting for the transplant. So you will be as ready as you can be for the operation.
At the hospital
Before your operation, you may need:
- a chest x-ray
- a heart trace test
(ECG) 
- blood tests
Your nurse also checks your temperature, blood pressure, pulse and breathing rate.
Some of the tests are to check for signs of infection. The ECG checks the health of your heart. Some of the blood tests check how well your kidneys are working. You will have these done when you arrive at the hospital. You also see the anaesthetist to check you are still well enough for the operation.
You may have medicines, fluids, or blood products through a drip in preparation for the operation. Your nurse will tell you when you should stop eating and drinking.
Before your operation you might be able to visit the intensive care unit so you know what to expect straight after your operation.
Sometimes you arrive at the hospital and then the liver is found to be unsuitable for you. You will have to go home and wait until another liver is available. This can be frustrating, but your doctors and nurses will support you as much as they can.
Leg and breathing exercises
Your nurse or physiotherapist will teach you breathing and leg exercises. These exercises help to stop chest infections and blood clots after your operation. You put on elastic stockings before the operation to also help prevent blood clots.
Breathing and circulation exercises after surgery
These exercises help prevent you developing a chest infection or blood clots in your legs after surgery. These problems are more likely when you are not moving around as you would normally.
You can do these breathing exercises while sitting up in a chair or in a bed or whilst lying down.
Relax your shoulders and upper chest.
Take a slow, deep, comfortable breath in and hold for a couple of seconds, then slowly breathe out.
Repeat this 3 times.
You can start these breathing exercises as soon as you come round from your anaesthetic.
You should try to do them every hour when awake until you are fully mobile.
If you need to cough, support your wound with your arms, a pillow or a rolled up towel.
If you are struggling to clear any phlegm, try a huff. This is where you breathe out in a short, sharp manner as if you were trying to steam up a mirror.
You should move about as soon as possible after your operation. But while you are not as mobile, try to keep your legs moving to encourage better circulation.
You can do these exercises in a bed or in a chair.
One foot at a time point your toes away from you then pull your toes towards your chin.
Try to do 10 of these on both feet at least 2-3 times an hour.
The next exercise is circling your ankles. One at time circle your ankles, clockwise and then anticlockwise. Repeat this 10 times with each ankle 2-3 times an hour.
Having an anaesthetic
You have an anaesthetic so that you can’t feel anything during the operation. You have this in the anaesthetic room, next to the operating theatre.
All the doctors and nurses wear theatre gowns, hats and masks. This reduces your chance of getting an infection.
The puts a small tube (cannula) into a vein in your arm. You have any fluids and medicines you need through the cannula including the general anaesthetic. This sends you into a deep sleep. When you wake up, the operation will be over.
Before you go to sleep your anaesthetist might put a small tube through the skin of your back. It goes into the fluid around your spinal cord. They can attach a pump to this tube to give you pain medicines during and after your operation.
NHS Blood and Transplant service
The NHS blood and transplant service have information about liver transplants. This includes details about waiting lists, the transplant procedure and life after a transplant.
