Long-term management of the liver transplant recipient.

Despite the potential medical problems described here, the vast majority of liver transplant recipients report a remarkable improvement in the quality of their lives. Many, in fact, have normal lifestyles, in marked contrast to their disability before liver transplantation. Maintenance of this status, however, requires compliance with regular medical follow-up to implement preventive measures and early detection of complications. A basic knowledge of these issues should enable the internist, general practitioner, and gastroenterologist to diagnose and manage many of the problems unique to liver transplant recipients. The liver transplant center should encourage communication and be readily accessible to the primary care physician. This team approach is responsible for measuring the survival of liver transplant recipients in decades, rather than years.