Anesthetic Considerations in a Liver Transplant Recipient Presenting for Nontransplant Surgery

Liver transplantation is the definitive treatment for end-stage liver disease. The United Network for Organ Sharing reports that there were about150,000 liver transplants done between 1988 and 2016. With increasing number of liver transplantations and improved patient survival, more of these patients will present for further surgical interventions, which may or may not be related to the initial organ transplant. These patients present with unique medical challenges associated with the transplanted organ and medications used for conferring immunosuppression. This chapter uses the case study of a 65-year-old male who had a past liver transplant who presents for nontransplant-related surgery to explore anesthetic considerations in a liver transplant recipient presenting for nontransplant surgery.