University of California San Francisco | About UCSF | UCSF Medical Center
Search Site | Find a Doctor
Liver Transplant Program

The UCSF Liver Transplant Program is one of the nation's leading liver transplant centers for both children and adults. Designated a "Center of Excellence" by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, our team has transplanted livers into more than 2,300 recipients, including nearly 300 children.

Children who receive livers at UCSF have a survival rate of more than 95 percent after one year and 90 percent after five years, well above the national average. Our program also has one of the lowest re-transplantation rates in the country. After liver transplant, most children return to a normal quality of life and catch up or accelerate in growth. We have a number of former patients who have given birth to their own healthy children.

  • Show More

Our primary goal is to return patients to a "normal" lifestyle as soon as possible. To accomplish this, we have a comprehensive approach to patient care. The program's internationally recognized surgical team is supported by specialists in gastroenterology, infectious disease, anesthesiology, liver disease and pharmacology as well as by nurse coordinators, social workers, mental health professionals, a nutritionist and financial counselors.

For many years, one of the challenges to doing liver transplants in children was the difficulty of finding small livers from deceased donors. However, a new procedure allows living donors to donate a segment of their liver, which grows to the appropriate size in the child. The donor's remaining liver will regenerate, eventually growing back to its original size. UCSF's team was among the first in the world to perform this surgery.

Our liver transplant research has included testing new anti-rejection drugs, contributing to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Liver Transplant Database and establishing procedures for treating Hepatitis B and liver cancer patients with transplants.

  • Show Less

Your child will need a referral from a liver specialist or other doctor to be evaluated for a liver transplant. Once the referral is made, we will call you to schedule the evaluation.

Getting Here

Liver Transplant Program
400 Parnassus Ave., Sixth Floor
San Francisco, CA 94143
Phone: (415) 476-5892
Fax: (415) 476-1343

Hours: Monday to Friday
8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Additional Locations
Fresno
Modesto
Santa Rosa

What to Bring

  • Health insurance information including authorizations or referrals
  • List of your child's prescription medications and dosages
  • List of medications your child is allergic to
  • List of questions you may have
  • Recent test results related to your child's condition
  • Paper and pencil to take notes

Parking

Parking at Parnassus

Public parking for an hourly fee at UCSF Medical Center is available in the seven-level Millberry Union Garage at 500 Parnassus Ave. There are two garage entrances — one on the north side of Parnassus Avenue and another on Irving Street, just east of Third Avenue. The garage is open 24 hours daily.

Another garage, at 350 Parnassus Ave., is open Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Metered street parking is rarely available.

Patients being admitted to the hospital may be dropped off at the circular driveway leading to the main entrance at 505 Parnassus Ave. This area also may be used to pick up patients who are being discharged.

For more information about parking at Parnassus, call Campus Parking Services at 476-2566.

Valet Parking Service

Valet parking service is available at the Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) at 400 Parnassus Ave. from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The valet service is free but patients must pay regular parking fees. For more information about the valet service, call (415) 476-6200.

A UCSF "greeter" also is available at the ACC from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist patients find their way.

Public Transportation

Parnassus

UCSF Medical Center is accessible via Muni streetcar line N-Judah*, which stops at Second Avenue and Irving Street, and the following Muni bus lines, which stop in front of the hospital:

  • 43-Masonic*
  • 6-Parnassus
  • 66-Quintara

Free UCSF shuttles travel between the Parnassus and Mount Zion campuses as well as other UCSF locations. For your convenience we have a Parnassus-Mount Zion Express Shuttle that leaves every 15 minutes.

The shuttle departs from Parnassus in front of the UCSF Kalmanovitz Library at 530 Parnassus Ave.

  • At Mount Zion, the shuttle departs in front of the UCSF Shuttle sign at the corner of Sutter and Divisadero streets.
  • The first shuttle of the day leaves Parnassus at 6:45 a.m.
  • The last shuttle of the day leaves Parnassus at 8:45 p.m.

For more information about UCSF transportation, please call (415) 476-1511.

For more information about Muni visit, www.sfmuni.com.

* Wheelchair accessible bus routes

Related Information

Ways to Give

Clinics & Centers

Condition Information

Clinic Team

Nancy Ascher
Dr. Nancy Ascher,
organ transplant surgeon
Sandy Feng
Dr. Sandy Feng,
organ transplant surgeon
Christopher E. Freise
Dr. Christopher E. Freise,
organ transplant surgeon
Ruth B. Goldstein
Dr. Ruth B. Goldstein,
radiologist
Ryutaro Hirose
Dr. Ryutaro Hirose,
organ transplant surgeon
Sang-Mo Kang
Dr. Sang-Mo Kang,
organ transplant surgeon
Andrew M. Posselt
Dr. Andrew M. Posselt,
bariatric and transplant surgeon
David Quan
David Quan,
clinical pharmacist
Sue J. Rhee
Dr. Sue J. Rhee,
pediatric gastroenterologist and liver specialist
John P. Roberts
Dr. John P. Roberts,
organ transplant surgeon
Philip Rosenthal
Dr. Philip Rosenthal,
pediatric liver specialist
Peter Stock
Dr. Peter Stock,
organ transplant surgeon
Allyn Evans
Allyn Evans,
dietitian
Lisa Keung
Lisa Keung,
dietitian
Helene Omansky
Helene Omansky,
social worker
Susan Stritzel-Diaz
Susan Stritzel-Diaz,
pediatric nurse practitioner

Patient Experiences