Transplant Services

Liver Transplants

Why Choose University of Colorado Hospital for Your Liver Transplant?

"Two miracles"

Watch the 9News.com story about how a single donor liver saved two lives.

At University of Colorado Hospital, we have a strong foundation for our Liver Transplant Program.

The first liver transplant in the world was performed at our hospital in 1963 by world-renowned surgeon Thomas Starzl, MD.

In 1988 we created a formal Liver Transplant Program under the direction of Dr. Igal Kam.

Throughout the years, we have made significant technological and treatment advances that greatly increase the likelihood that liver transplant patients lead a normal life after transplant surgery.

Find out more. Call (720) 848-0840 for appointment information.

United Network Organ Sharing (UNOS) data shows our Liver Transplant Program has one of the lowest one-year mortality rates in patient survival for centers performing 60+ liver transplants per year.
Our overall patient survival three years after transplantation is 85 percent.
The average hospital stay (from date of transplant to discharge) for a liver transplant is 12 days.
Our team has performed more than 1,400 liver transplants in adults and children between 1988-2008.
Since 1996, our team has performed more than 130 living-donor liver transplants.
University of Colorado Hospital has an entire floor dedicated to transplant patients. All patients receive medical care by a team of experts who are specifically trained to address transplant patients’ special needs.

What is a Liver Transplant?

Meet Summer Hudish, a liver transplant
survivor who just won the race of her
life. Watch Summer's story.

A liver transplant may be the only option for someone with liver disease leading to liver failure.

There are two types of transplants. A cadaver transplant uses the liver of a brain-dead person. This is the most common type of liver transplant.

Living-donor transplants are the second type. As its name indicates, the person who is donating his or her liver is alive. The donor is usually a relative or close friend who donates a portion of his/her liver to the person in need of the transplant.

Within about two months after living donor transplant surgery, both donor and recipient livers grow back to full size.