Recurrence of your original disease may occur, particularly if your original disease is due to viral hepatitis. B or C. Hepatitis B recurrence after the transplant was previously fairly high risk without preventative treatment. Nowadays there is good preventative treatment available against recurrence, in the form of anti viral drugs that act against the hepatitis B virus. Treatment is usually commenced in the pre-transplant phase and continues indefinitely post transplant in conjunction with regular monthly injections of Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin.
Recurrence of the Hepatitis C virus is universal following transplantation. The majority of patients will have a mild recurrence which will not cause significant problems for the first five years after transplant. Problems beyond this time may emerge. A small group of patients will develop a more severe recurrence with the development of cirrhosis within three to five years of transplantation.
Treatments are being developed to prevent and treat viral recurrence post transplant.
If you had a liver cancer in your old liver, there is a possibility this may recur after transplantation. Your doctors will take all steps to minimise the chance of this occurring, but it is always a risk. Recurrence of liver cancer, may first be noticed in the bones or the lungs, rather than in the new liver. Your doctor will be constantly monitoring your condition.
Recurrence of primary biliary cirrhosis, autoimmune chronic active hepatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis has been reported but seems very rare.