Stradins Hospital ready to perform liver transplantations, but donor availability remains a problem

P.Stradins Clinical University Hospital (PSKUS) has improved its work organisation principles and has allocated human resources towards liver transplantation surgeries in 2024. Equipment and appropriate infrastructure are available as well to ensure full transplantation process, said the hospital’s board member Džineta Heinrihsone, adding that donor availability is a challenge – this is not something that can be predicted.
She said that usually there are 20 to 25 donors in Latvia, and they cannot all be used for liver transplantation, as some of them may have liver illnesses. No liver transplantation surgeries have been performed in Latvia so far this year due to the shortage of donors.
“We have five patients that are in dire need of liver transplantation. If we had a donor, we would be able to perform a surgery today or tomorrow. There is also a passive list of liver patients with about 20 people on it. They too need liver transplantation, but their state is relatively stable,” says surgeon Jānis Vilmanis, who is responsible for liver transplantation in the hospital.
Patients are added to the liver transplantation list by a senior staff meeting, which happens once a month. After that, patients undergo examination once a month.
Heinrihsone notes that transplantation surgery is performed on patients on the active list as soon as a donor organ is received. Liver transplantation is performed only once a donor with an appropriate blood type, anatomical parameters and no medical contraindications.
According to her, in 2023, refresher activities (training and traineeships in European clinics and the US) were organised for the personnel involved in the liver transplantation process. The whole transplant team – surgeons, gastroenterologists – hepatologists, anaesthesiologists, intensive care doctors, nurses and other specialists went to undergo internship. The staff has acquired the necessary skills, additional knowledge and is prepared to perform liver transplants for the Latvian population.
LETA previously reported that this year PSKUS could restart liver transplantation surgeries again.
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