Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases

Liver Transplantation and Liver Biopsy

Liver transplantation and liver biopsy are two medical procedures related to the liver, but they serve different purposes.

Liver Transplantation: Liver transplantation is a surgical procedure where a diseased or damaged liver is replaced with a healthy liver from a donor. It is usually performed in patients with end-stage liver disease or acute liver failure. Liver transplantation can be a life-saving treatment for those whose liver function is severely compromised. There are two main types of liver transplantation:

• Orthotopic Liver Transplantation (OLT)
• Living Donor Liver Transplantation (LDLT)

Liver Biopsy: Liver biopsy is a diagnostic procedure used to obtain a small sample of liver tissue for examination under a microscope. It helps in diagnosing various liver diseases and assessing the extent of liver damage. There are different methods of performing liver biopsy:

• Percutaneous Liver Biopsy
• Transjugular Liver Biopsy
• Laparoscopic Liver Biopsy

Both liver transplantation and liver biopsy are important tools in the management of liver diseases, but they serve different purposes: transplantation aims to replace a diseased liver with a healthy one, while biopsy helps in diagnosing liver conditions and guiding treatment decisions.