Liver Transplant Program

The Pediatric Liver Transplant Program is one of the nation's leading liver transplant centers, known for excellent outcomes and for helping pioneer techniques that have made transplantation safer and more successful. This earned us a center of excellence designation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We care for young patients of all ages and sizes, from infants to young adults, and more than half of our pediatric liver transplant patients are younger than 2.

UCSF was among the first in the nation to perform liver transplants using living donors, and we now perform more of this type than any other program nationwide. With expertise in managing the immune-suppressing medications patients take after transplant (to prevent the body from rejecting the new liver), we work to minimize or even eliminate the need for these drugs over the long term.

Our main goal is to help our patients enjoy a normal life as soon as possible. To achieve this, we've assembled a team of specialists in transplant surgery, gastroenterology and hepatology, infectious disease, anesthesiology and pharmacology, as well as nurse coordinators, social workers, mental health professionals, nutritionists and financial counselors. We work closely with one another and with each family to achieve the best possible outcome for their child.

Our care doesn't end with the surgical recovery. We monitor both the function of the transplanted liver and our patients' overall growth and development throughout their childhood and into early adulthood. Most catch up on or accelerate their growth and go on to enjoy a normal quality of life. A number of our former patients are now grown up, with children of their own.

Download our new patient handbook (PDF).

• Liver Transplant Patient Handbook
• Liver Transplant Patient Handbook - Español

Our outcomes

Children who receive liver transplants at UCSF Health have a survival rate of 95 percent one year after transplant and 90 percent five years after transplant, well above the national average. Among those who receive transplants from living donors, the three-year survival rate is 100 percent. Our program also has one of the lowest re-transplantation rates – the percentage of patients who need a second transplant – in the country.

More outcomes data is available from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients and from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

Clinical trials and research

The UCSF pediatric liver transplant team leads numerous clinical trials and other research projects that aim to improve care, long-term health and quality of life for children with chronic liver conditions, including those receiving liver transplants. Our comprehensive research investigates all issues and needs related to pediatric liver disease, with studies ranging from those that assess promising new treatments to those that examine how social and environmental factors affect treatment outcomes. We are developing new ways of using technology to enhance care, as well as evaluating how best to help families navigate life after a liver transplant. Our team also advocates for patients and their families in partnership with national and international transplant organizations, providing education and support throughout the transplant journey.