Ethics of Liver Transplantation with Living Donors

Abstract

Liver transplantation involving only a portion of a liver from a cadaveric donor is now performed in several major centers worldwide. We propose to transplant a liver lobe from a living donor — the parent of the recipient — to a noncritically ill infant with advanced liver disease. Although it is technically feasible, such transplantation of an organ from a living donor raises complex ethical issues involving the balance of risks and benefits, the selection of donor and recipient, and informed consent. This article describes the unique ethical aspects of liver transplantation with parents as living donors and describes our . . .