I. Introduction
Commissioner of Health Antonia C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H., appointed the New York State Committee on Quality Improvement in Living Liver Donation in June 2002 to review adult living liver donation in New York State. This Committee operates under the auspices of the New York State Transplant Council, New York’s 21-member advisory body appointed by the Governor and the State Legislature to advise the Commissioner of Health on issues related to organ and tissue donation and transplantation.
The Committee met in June, August, October, and November 2002 to review existing requirements and develop new guidelines and protocols in accordance with New York State and federal laws concerning donor and recipient selection, informed consent, preoperative evaluation, intraoperative and postoperative care of living liver donors. Commissioner Novello asked the Committee members to forward their recommendations before the end of 2002.
Members of the Committee include transplant physicians, an organ procurement organization representative, a liver transplant recipient and donor, a registered nurse, a social worker, a psychiatrist with transplant experience, an ethicist, and representatives from the five liver transplant programs in New York State. Two federal government representatives serve in an ex officio capacity.
Three subcommittees were formed at the first meeting of the Committee:
- Subcommittee on Informed Consent, Donor/ Recipient Selection and Evaluation (Francis L. Delmonico, M.D., chair):
- Subcommittee on Donor Perioperative Care and Facility Support (Lewis Teperman, M.D., chair);
- Subcommittee on Donor Discharge Planning, Support and Long-Term Follow-up (Jean Emond, M.D., chair).
This report represents the diligent work of the Committee and contains guidelines to help reduce morbidity and mortality associated with live adult liver donation (hemihepatectomy) in New York State. This report was unanimously approved by the Committee at its November 13 th meeting. Members hope these recommendations and guidelines will serve as a model for the rest of the country.
The Committee recommends that this report be reviewed annually.
Appendix II is a flowchart of the recommended adult living donor liver donation process.
