Research

I’ve been putting together a list of the research and writing about liver transplantation that has helped me the most. It’s very short so far, but I’ll keep adding to it as I see new things of interest. I would love recommendations. There are a lot of medical journal articles on the subject, and there is a lot of literature from liver transplant groups and organizations, but I’ve found few first-hand accounts (beyond what the groups and organizations make available). That said, Reddit has a lot of first-hand stories that may be of interest.

1. When Death Becomes Life: Notes from a Transplant Surgeon, Joshua D. Mezrich (Harper, 2019)

   —This is written by a transplant surgeon, and details the process from the beginning, when the organs are taken from a donor, to the patient’s post-transplant follow-up process and immunosuppressant drugs. The history of transplantation is fascinating to me, and the author does a good job describing how we got to where we are today.

2. “New Developments and Challenges in Liver Transplantation,” Amjad Khalil et al., Journal of Clinical Medicine (12, 5586, 2023), https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12175586 

   —This is probably the best and most succinct summary of the history of transplantation I’ve read.

3. “Liver Transplantation,” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/procedures/8111-liver-transplantation

   —This is a basic overview of the liver transplant process, and highlights the main physical process well.

4. “Integrative Common and Rare Variant Analyses Provide Insights Into the Genetic Architecture of Liver Cirrhosis,” Jonas Ghouse et al., Nat Genet (56(5): 827-837, May 2024), https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-024-01720-y

   —There’s quite a bit happening in genetic research. This is a sizable study of people from all over the globe that looks at their genes and how they correspond to their liver diseases.

5. “Cognitive Impairment After Liver Transplantation: Residual Hepatic Encephalopathy or Posttransplant Encephalopathy?” Linda Skibsted Kornerup et al., Hepat Med (11:41-46, 2019), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6456244/

   —This article explains cognitive impairment—encephalopathy—and some of what happens to the brain when the liver fails and then post-transplant recovery.

6. “Neuropsychiatric Sequelae After Liver Transplantation and Their Possible Mechanism via the Microbiota–Gut–Liver–Brain Axis,” Wenhao Jing et al., Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (Vol. 163, 114855, July 2023), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114855

   —Post-transplant issues like insomnia, depression, anxiety, are common, and this article offers problems, explanations, and possible solutions.

7. r/transplant, Reddit, https://www.reddit.com/r/transplant/

   —There are a lot of first-hand accounts here, though you have to sort through them by transplant type and topic.