Liver Transplant

At Vanderbilt Transplant Center, our liver transplant specialists provide comprehensive care for liver and bile duct diseases.

Our Liver Transplant Program has performed more than 2,000 liver transplants since 1990 – the largest number of liver transplants in Tennessee. Our specialists also perform lifesaving multi-organ operations, including liver-heart and liver-kidney transplants to treat multi-system dysfunction. With extensive experience providing a high volume of liver transplants, you can expect the best possible quality of care.

Liver Transplant: Why Choose Vanderbilt

  • Recognized center of excellence: Our exceptional liver transplant outcomes have earned us recognition by OptumHealth, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Interlink and LifeTrac. View our liver transplant outcomes.
  • Shorter wait times: In a region with high organ donation rates, our patients wait less time for a liver transplant. Our median wait time to liver transplant is 3.8 months, compared with national wait times of more than 15.8 months.
  • A team approach: Our liver surgeons and hepatologists combine their expertise to create a personalized care plan that is right for you. These specialists work closely with a team of psychiatrists, transplant pharmacists, nurses and social workers, to provide you with quality care before, during and after your liver transplant.
  • A dedicated inpatient unit: At Vanderbilt, we provide you with a private room, equipped with the latest technology and safety measures. This ensures you and your family receive the highest level of quality care and comfort.
  • Access to clinical trials: As the only academic medical center in the region, we offer access to clinical trials investigating new, promising technologies and approaches to transplant care.
  • Caring for veterans: We are one of only four transplant centers designated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide liver transplants to our nation’s veterans.
  • Pediatric liver transplants: We know our smallest patients require a dedicated team of specialists as knowledgeable as they are comforting in their approach to pediatric care. That’s why we provide pediatric liver transplants through Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
  • Support services: Our transplant center offers a variety of support services, from social workers to transplant pharmacists, to help guide you through the transplant process. We also offer a unique Return-to-Work program to help you resume employment and restore your emotional and financial well-being. View our support services.

Liver Transplant: Conditions

Conditions that can lead to end-stage liver failure or cirrhosis include:

  • Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
  • Autoimmune hepatitis
  • Fatty liver disease
  • Hereditary hemochromatosis
  • Primary biliary cirrhosis
  • Primary sclerosing cholangitis
  • Reformed alcohol abuse
  • Viral hepatitis (including hepatitis C and hepatitis B)
  • Wilson’s disease

Liver Transplant: Treatments

  • Dual-organ transplants: A dual-organ transplant is a surgical procedure to remove two diseased organs. The diseased organs are replaced with healthy ones from an organ donor. Our team of specialists provide complex liver-heart and liver-kidney transplants.
  • Liver transplant surgery: A liver transplant is a surgical procedure to replace a diseased liver with a healthy one from an organ donor. 

Liver Transplant: Patient Education

The following information can help you understand what to expect before, during and after your transplant surgery. 

Liver Transplant: Patient Stories

James George had not one, but two transplants at Vanderbilt. He received a new liver and then about a decade later, a kidney. Now 67, he’s working on his Master’s degree and living a full life again without dialysis. See his story. 

Liver Transplant: Locations

Franklin
Vanderbilt Liver Transplant Franklin
2105 Edward Curd Lane, 3rd Floor
Franklin, TN 37067
(615) 936-5321
Map and Directions

Madison, AL
Vanderbilt Hepatology and Liver Transplant
Madison Surgery Center
460 Lanier Road, Suite 202A
Madison, AL 35758
(615) 936-5321
Map and Directions

Nashville
Vanderbilt Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery
The Vanderbilt Clinic
1301 Medical Center Drive, Suite 2501A
Nashville, TN 37232
(615) 936-5321
Map and Directions

Liver Transplant: For Referring Physicians

If you have a patient who needs assessment for liver transplantation, we have the expertise, ample resources and supportive tools essential to delivering a successful transplant experience. To arrange a consultation or make a referral, complete our online referral form or contact our liver transplant team at (615) 936-5321.

Referring physicians can also complete our Liver Transplant referral form and fax it to our transplant team at (615) 322-1951.

Liver Transplant: Related Programs

Liver Transplant: Contact Us

To contact our liver transplant team, call us at (615) 936-5321 or toll free at (866) 748-1495. To speak with our hepatology team, call (615) 322-0128.