Liver Transplant Guides & Resources
Plain-language articles to help you understand the transplant process, compare options, and make informed decisions. Written for patients and caregivers.
Essential Guides
Start here if you're new to the transplant journey
MELD Score Explained
Read Guide →Understand how MELD scores determine transplant priority and what your score means for wait time.
Wait Times & The List
Liver Waiting List Guide →How the waiting list works, why times vary by center, and strategies to reduce your wait.
Choosing a Center
Compare Centers →Compare transplant centers by wait times, survival rates, and other key metrics.
New: Liver Transplant Waitlist Guide for Patients & Caregivers →
Advanced Topics
For those exploring additional options
Dual Listing
Learn More →Can you be listed at multiple centers? Understand the rules and strategies for dual listing.
Living Donation
Read Guide →How living donor liver transplants work, who can donate, and what to expect.
Patient Rights & Advocacy
Know your options and advocate for yourself
Your Rights
Know Your Rights →What patients are allowed to do when seeking evaluation, second opinions, or transfers.
Transplant Checklist
View Checklist →A practical checklist for patients navigating the transplant evaluation process.
Caregiver Support
Visit Corner →Resources, support, and practical scripts for caregivers of liver transplant patients.
In-Depth Articles
Deeper explainers on donor science, center selection, and the system behind the list
How Long Is the Wait?
Read Article →Typical liver transplant wait times, what drives them, and how to shorten yours.
DCD vs. DBD Donors
Read Article →Two donor pathways supply most of the deceased-donor liver pool — and they aren't equivalent.
Extended Criteria Donors
Read Article →What ECD livers are, and why accepting one can shorten your wait.
Normothermic Machine Perfusion
Read Article →How keeping a donor liver warm and perfused in transit expands the usable organ pool.
HOPE Perfusion
Read Article →Cold oxygenated perfusion — how it differs from NMP and why it matters.
OrganOx vs. TransMedics
Read Article →The two FDA-approved normothermic perfusion devices, compared.
Local vs. Remote Center
Read Article →The closest transplant center isn't always the right transplant center.
Top-Performer Flag
Read Article →The simple, public, auditable rule behind the Top-performer filter.
Whole-Patient vs. Strict MELD
Read Article →Why two centers can list the same patient differently.
MELD-Exception Advocacy
Read Article →When caregivers need to push to get a patient listed and approved.
Long-Wait & Medicaid Risk
Read Article →Geographic patterns in SRTR-published waitlist-mortality data.
Truncated Acuity Circles
Read Article →Why coasts and borders cut donor circles short, and what that means for your wait.
Insurance: Always Call
Read Article →Why "covered" on paper doesn't tell you what's actually covered.
Data Sources
We use publicly available data from trusted sources
All center comparisons and statistics come from SRTR and OPTN public reports. View our open data resources →
Disclaimer: This site provides general information only. It is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare team for decisions about your care.