ABSTRACT
Liver transplantation is a life-saving intervention. As of February 18, 2011, there were 16,135 patients on the liver transplant waiting list in the United States (UNOS website, retrieved March 1, 2011). Most of these patients have a wide array of nutritional derangements, ranging from malnutrition to obesity, conditions which negatively impact pre-and post-liver-transplant morbidity and mortality (DiCecco et al. 1989; Harrison, McKiernan, and Neuberger 1997). With improved life expectancies post-transplant, long-term comorbidities such as diabetes, dyslipemia, obesity, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are becoming increasingly recognized, and occur more commonly in liver transplant recipients than among the general population. This chapter addresses the nutritional aspects related to liver transplantation. Pretransplant nutritional assessment and dietary needs will be discussed. Issues related to steatosis and the donor liver are reviewed. An overview of post-transplantation nutritional requirements both immediately post-op and long after the patient has been discharged from the hospital will be provided. Finally, nutrition-related medical problems for post-transplant patients, and potential preventive measures and treatments will be addressed.
