Post Transplant Care

The average hospital stay after a liver transplant is 2 weeks to 3 weeks. Some patients may be discharged in less time, while others may be in the hospital much longer, depending on any complications that may arise. You need to be prepared for both possibilities.

To provide a smooth transition from hospital to home, the nursing staff and your transplant coordinator will begin to prepare you for discharge shortly after you are transferred from the intensive-care unit to the regular nursing floor. You will be given a discharge manual, which reviews much of what you will need to know before you go home.

You will learn how to take new medications and how to monitor your own blood pressure and pulse. As you do these things regularly, you will become a participant in your own health care. Before your discharge, you will also learn the signs of rejection and infection, and will know when it’s important to call your doctor.

Readmission after discharge is common, especially within the first year after a transplant. The admission is usually for treatment of a rejection episode or infection.

Credits:
webmd.com/hepatitis/hepb-guide/digestive-diseases-liver-transplantation