The VGH Liver Transplant Program and BC Transplant have recently completed a full review and update of the Clinical Guidelines for Liver Transplantation.  The updated guidelines provide clinical guidance to clinicians involved in the continuum of transplant care. This includes guidance for referring clinicians about key considerations for potential liver transplant candidates.

Of note, the guidelines reflect the 2019 removal of the previous requirement for an absolute period of alcohol abstinence for a patient to be referred to the liver program. For patients with alcoholic liver disease, there is no minimum period of alcohol abstinence required to be considered for referral for a liver transplant.

Due to the limited availability of organs, many referred patients may not be transplant candidates based on the various considerations outlined in the guidelines. However, the VGH Liver Transplant program would assess the candidacy of individuals with alcohol related liver disease who continue to deteriorate even with brief abstinence periods.

As there may still be unfamiliarity with the new criteria, we encourage physicians to discuss directly with the Transplant Hepatologist on-call the candidacy of a patient. 

For more information:

-        Review the full Clinical Guidelines for Liver Transplantation

-        Watch a webinar about the updated guidelines and requirements

For questions about the updated guidelines, contact the Liver Transplant Program at 604-875-5182.  ​