One Liver, Two Recipients
Another transplant option that expands the available pool of donor organs is split liver transplantation. In this procedure, a single deceased donor liver is divided into right and left portions that are implanted into two recipients simultaneously. Typically, an adult patient receives about 60 percent of the liver (the right lobe), while a pediatric patient receives the other about 40 percent of the liver (the left lobe).
The first split liver transplantation was performed at Stanford in 1996, with both patients making smooth recoveries. This innovative surgical technique maximizes the benefit of each available donor organ, making transplantation possible for two people.