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As one of the largest multi-specialty transplant centers in the U.S., Baylor Scott & White has performed more than 4,500 liver transplants

When it comes to liver transplants, experience and expertise matter. Surgeons on the medical staff at Baylor University Medical Center, part of Baylor Scott & White Health and Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth have performed more than 4,500 liver transplants combined – placing us as one of only three centers in the nation to reach this milestone. We were one of the first of three centers in the United States and have grown to be one of the largest multi-specialty transplant centers in the nation with a global reputation for quality care.

Our liver transplant program is internationally recognized as a pioneering program in liver transplants and anti-rejection treatment, as well as hepatitis B and C research. In addition, our living donor liver transplant program is the first adult liver transplant program in Texas and today is the third largest living donor liver programs in Texas by volume. And with outreach locations throughout Texas, we are bringing more than 35 years of experience treating patients with advanced liver disease to you.

Baylor Scott & White Health is also the home of the Liver Transplant Research Database System, which is the longest existing, most detailed liver transplant research database in the world.

Living Donor Liver Transplants

Discover an alternative to deceased donor liver transplantation

More about the program

Locations

Dallas
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Visit transplant program

In North Texas, Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and Baylor Scott & White All Saints – Fort Worth make up one the busiest multi-specialty organ transplant systems in the world — the Baylor Annette C. and Harold C. Simmons Transplant Institute.

Fort Worth
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Visit transplant program

In North Texas, Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and Baylor Scott & White All Saints – Fort Worth make up one the busiest multi-specialty organ transplant systems in the world — the Baylor Annette C. and Harold C. Simmons Transplant Institute.

Liver and Pancreas Disease Center
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Visit center

Baylor Scott & White offers patients with liver or pancreas tumors or chronic pancreatitis access to a full spectrum of treatment options. The Liver and Pancreas Disease Center opened in 1998 and is dedicated to treating patients with liver and pancreas cancer. The center coordinates each patient’s tumor management and plan of care among a team of specialists all located within one center.

Outreach Locations
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Find an outreach location

For people who do not live near Dallas–Fort Worth or the Temple region, we bring our experience to them.

Teams of physicians, nurses and assistants travel to outreach clinics throughout Texas to deliver world-renowned transplantation medicine to an expanding network of communities. Both initial organ transplant evaluation and post-transplant follow-up appointments are available.

Our liver transplant specialists

Liver transplant specialists of Baylor Scott & White Health

The transplant surgeons and hepatologists on the medical staff at Baylor Scott & White Health are internationally renowned experts in the field of liver transplant.

As one of the first liver transplant centers in the country, our high volume and vast experience allows us to manage a large population of liver disease patient at our two transplant locations in Dallas and Fort Worth.

Find a liver transplant specialist

Liver transplant leadership

Dr. Testa, chief of Simmons Transplant Institute & division chief of abdominal transplant at Baylor Scottt & White

Giuliano Testa, MD

Dr. Testa , chairman of the Simmons Transplant Institute and chief of abdominal transplant

Dr. Trotter, medical director of general transplant hepatology at Baylor Scott & White

James Trotter, MD

Dr. Trotter, medical director of general transplant hepatology, co-authored and edited the textbook Medical Care of the Liver Transplant Patient, which is the most current clinical guide on how to best treat liver transplant patients.

Videos: What to expect

In the What to Expect videos, you will learn about the liver transplant evaluation, preparation, process and what to expect before and after surgery. In addition, you’ll learn about the transplant team and the important option of living donor liver transplant.

These videos provide an overview of the liver transplant process at Baylor University Medical Center, part of Baylor Scott & White Health and Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth. These videos are i​deal for potential liver transplant patients, family and friends.

Watch by topic

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Video: Fatty liver disease

Dr. Robert Rahimi, a hepatologist on the medical staff at Baylor University Medical Center, discusses fatty liver disease symptoms, diagnosis and treatment on Good Morning Texas.

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Frequently asked questions about liver transplant

 

Living donor liver transplantation can be an alternative to deceased donor liver transplantation for some patients on the waiting list. The ideal candidates are patients who foresee a long wait on the deceased transplant list and experience complications of liver disease, such as ascites and encephalopathy and patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Patients who have cirrhosis with complications of end-stage liver disease in which there is no reasonable medical alternative treatment are eligible for liver transplant evaluation and waiting list placement. Patients with other conditions may also meet the criteria for a liver transplant and be considered for the list. These conditions include:

  • Hepatopulmonary syndrome – severe breathing problems caused by cirrhosis
  • Hepatic pulmonary hypertension – high pressure in the lungs caused by cirrhosis
  • Itching that cannot be treated
  • Tumors that cannot be surgically removed
  • Inborn errors of metabolism such as amyloidosis and oxalosis
  • Primary liver cancer without evidence of spread outside the liver
  • Recurrent episodes of bacterial cholangitis
  • Recurrent infection of the liver bile ducts
p>The time you will wait for a transplant is highly variable. If you have a live liver transplant, your surgery will be scheduled. If you are waiting for a deceased donor, your wait may be difficult to predict and can range from days to years.

The best treatment option depends on your diagnosis because liver disease can develop and progress in different ways. Treatment of liver cirrhosis is the most common reason for a transplant, but you need a liver transplant if your liver is failing, is damaged to the point where it doesn't perform its normal functions and medical interventions are no longer effective.

We have a financial coordinator who will help you and your family with financial related questions or concerns regarding your transplant coverage.

Real Patients. Real Stories.

Lacy Barcak: I have my sister and Baylor Scott & White to thank for my liver transplant

Lacy Barcak was diagnosed with liver disease and needed a liver transplant. Fortunately, her sister, Lani, was a match to donate her liver. Two months later, Lacy underwent a living donor liver transplant and was given a second chance at life.

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Additional resources

Twice Blessed House – Dallas

Twice Blessed House is dedicated to serving pre- and post-transplant patients and their caregivers by providing a warm family atmosphere and amenities needed for daily living.

Download brochure

FitSTEPS for Life

​FitSTEPS for Life is an exercise program developed to tailor exercise to patient’s specific diagnosis and physical capabilities. The program was initially designed for cancer patients. More recently, patients with liver disease were added to this program.

FitSTEPS for Life operates in multiple locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area including the Baylor University Medical Center. The program permits patients to benefit from a gym-like experience for free. A family member or friend is also allowed to join the exercise program at no cost.

Note: This program is currently on hold due to COVID-19

Online resources

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