Washington DC VA Medical Center Partners to Bring Liver Transplant Services to Veterans

This collaboration establishes the Washington DC VA Medical Center as one of five VHA liver transplant centers in the country to offer both liver and kidney transplant services.

Chief of Transplant Services at Washington DC VA Medical Center, Atoosa Rabiee, M.D., worked with different specialists from both organizations to develop the program. She is excited to bring this additional treatment option to Veterans experiencing end-stage liver disease.

“There are a variety of conditions that require a transplant for treatment and long-term survival,” said Rabiee. “Now, Veterans can receive that vital transplant from one of the most experienced transplant centers in the country, right here in our community, in close collaboration with their VA health care team.”

Veterans in need of a liver transplant can be evaluated by the Washington DC VA Medical Center Transplant Team to determine if they are medically able to receive one. Psychological and social barriers that may impact the success of the transplant surgery will be considered as well. The transplant team, which consists of transplant hepatologists, surgeons and coordinators, as well as anesthesiologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and financial coordinators, will decide if a transplant is the right treatment for the Veteran and, if so, place them on the national waiting list maintained by the United Network for Organ Sharing.

Rabiee said for Veterans to meet eligibility and maintain their status on the list, it is important to stop drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs. Additionally, Veterans must take any prescribed medications and attend all scheduled appointments to ensure they are ready when a transplant becomes available.

“Maintaining open and constant communication is the key while waiting for a liver. If there are any changes to your health such as infection, illness or hospitalization, we need to know right away,” said Rabiee. “Changes to your personal information like address, phone numbers or insurance companies should also be relayed to the transplant team immediately to avoid a delay once a suitable match is found.”

Once a liver is available, a transplant coordinator will reach out to guide the Veteran through the next steps for pre-operative screening and preparing for the transplant surgery. If the liver is found to be a good match and accepted by the Veteran, surgery may take place within 24 hours at the MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute in Washington, DC.

The transplant procedure can take five to eight hours to complete. During that time, a member of the transplant team will provide periodic updates to family and friends in the surgical waiting area.

“We understand how stressful it can be waiting for news of your loved one’s condition during a complex procedure like an organ transplant. To help alleviate that stress, we provide support and information before, during and after surgery,” said Rabiee. “Social support from family and friends is a big part of a Veterans successful recovery and we encourage family to call the transplant office anytime with any questions they might have.”

Veterans can expect to spend seven to 10 days in the hospital after their surgery and an additional four to six months of recovery time at home before returning to work or school. For the first 12 months post-op, they will need to stay within a few hours of Washington D.C. and visit the Washington DC VA Medical Center Transplant Clinic regularly for blood tests.

“We will give them a medication plan and a journal to record their daily weight, temperature and blood pressure. We need that information at every follow-up visit to ensure the liver is being accepted and functioning properly. We will start with clinic visits and lab work one to two times per week. After three months, we can reduce the clinic visits to once a month with lab work every two weeks. This is where that support structure at home becomes vital,” said Rabiee.

Once the transplant team determines the Veteran is stable, clinic visits can be reduced to every three months with monthly lab work for an additional six to 12 months post-transplant. Long-term care with yearly visits will be managed by the transplant clinic and the Veterans primary care provider. Blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol will also be checked often.

“It is important to maintain a healthy diet and exercise after receiving a transplant to avoid gaining weight,” said Rabiee. “Continue to update our team about any changes to your health immediately.”

From receiving a diagnosis of liver disease to undergoing transplant surgery and recovery time, the process can be long and stressful for Veterans. Rabiee encourages them to ask questions and learn about the resources available to them.  

"We are partnered with one of the top ranked transplant institutes in the country, and our team is comprised of highly skilled experts in the field of liver transplants," she said. “We are excited about the opportunity to prolong and improve Veteran lives and provide compassionate care from diagnosis to recovery.”

Learn more about the Washington DC VA Medical Center Liver Transplant Program.