Living donor liver transplant: Planned tests before surgery

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​If your new liver is coming from a living donor, everything will be planned and you will know exactly when your transplant will happen and what tests will be done.

There will be time to prepare your bag for the hospital and you will come to the hospital the day before your surgery.

Final tests before living donor surgery

Before your surgery, you may have to visit the hospital to have some final tests and blood work. These include a chest x-ray, an abdominal ultrasound and, possibly, other tests such as a CT scan or MRI. Sometimes these tests are performed when you are admitted the day before your scheduled transplant.

What you can eat or drink right before surgery​​

Take a look at the timeline below to see what you can eat or drink.

  • Midnight, the night before your surgery: You must stop eating solid food, including chewing gum.​
  • From midnight until three hours before surgery: You can drink clear fluids such as water or juice.
  • Less than three hours before surgery: You must stop all eating and drinking, even water. Your stomach needs to be completely empty when you have your surgery.
Last updated: November 30th 2017