Indications for liver transplantation and pretransplant evaluation

Liver transplantation began with experimental canine transplants in the late 1950s. In 1963, the first human liver transplant was attempted by Thomas Starzl. During the first decade of liver transplantation, survival rates were low. The introduction of cyclosporine for immunosuppression, advances in surgical technique, progress in anesthesia and critical care management, and advances in preservation solutions have rapidly accelerated progress. Liver transplant is the treatment of choice for a select group of patients with acute and chronic liver diseases.