Abstract

Alcohol-induced liver disease, the most common cause of end-stage liver failure in the developed world, is treated increasingly by liver transplantation. This poses especially difficult dilemmas for health care workers in liver transplant programmes. This text, jointly edited by a hepatologist, a surgeon and a psychiatrist, provides a scientific and scholarly review of the medical, surgical and psychosocial aspects of evaluation, surgery and post-liver-transplant care in alcoholics. Drawing on the extensive experience gained in recent years at the University of Michigan Medical Center, practical advice is given, enlivened by the use of case vignettes. The book concludes with a stimulating discussion of the ethical issues surrounding the controversial topic of liver transplantation in alcoholics. Essential reading for all involved in organ transplantation, it will provide valuable insights to all physicians, surgeons, psychiatrists and related health care professionals involved in the care of alcoholic patients.