Samsung Changwon Hospital Achieves 50 High-Difficulty Liver Transplant Surgeries

The Organ Transplant Center at Samsung Changwon Hospital has achieved 50 high-difficulty liver transplants approximately 2 years and 10 months after the first successful liver transplant in 2023. This is a very rapid pace.

Among them, 88% are 'living' liver transplants. All of them apply 'pure laparoscopic donor liver resection'. This method reduces the incision area, lowering the donor's scars, pain, and surgical burden. A variety of experiences and high proficiency from the medical staff are required.

It was made possible by the surgical team that had worked together for a long time since the time at Samsung Seoul Hospital before coming to Changwon. Led by Professor Jo Jae-won (Director of the Organ Transplant Center), who has performed over 1,800 liver transplants in 30 years, Professors Lee Ji-soo and Ahn Seong-hyo joined to strengthen the expertise of the surgical team.

As a result, the success rate of liver transplant surgeries at the Samsung Changwon Hospital Organ Transplant Center is 100% after 2024. The post-operative mortality rate also shows excellent treatment results at 2.8%.

Recently, the number of surgical cases has been increasing even faster. It took about 8 months to go from 30 cases to 40 cases, but it only took 5 months to go from 40 cases to 50 cases. This is evidence that the entire process from preparation for liver transplant surgery to post-operative management is being operated stably. Currently, the majority of patients are from Changwon and Gyeongnam, but it is known that patients from other regions such as Busan, Gyeongbuk, and Daegu are gradually increasing.

Director Jo Jae-won stated on the 9th, "Liver transplantation is a complex treatment that requires management before and after surgery, not just the surgery itself," and added, "We will continue to strive to ensure that local residents can receive safe treatment nearby without having to go to the metropolitan area."

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