In 1985, Barnes-Jewish Hospital became the 16th hospital in the world with a dedicated liver transplant program and the first in Missouri to perform a successful liver transplant. Since then, the hospital has continued to be a world leader in liver transplantation, performing the first living-donor adult-to-adult liver transplant in the U.S. in 1996.
With survival rates among the best in the nation, Washington University School of Medicine transplant specialists in St. Louis have helped more than 1,100 adult and pediatric liver transplant recipients survive life-threatening illness, giving them a chance for renewed health. The gastroenterology program, ranked among the top programs in the nation by U.S.News & World Report, offers a depth of clinical and research experience and an array of leading-edge resources. The transplant surgery program has one of the largest National Institutes of Health-funded research programs in the U.S.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital is recognized as one of the leading medical centers in the world for developing innovative treatments and medical management strategies for patients with liver failure.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital's transplant program is unique in that we follow our patients for the life of their transplant for continuity of care. Our patients also benefit from the support groups and the mentor program we offer.
Outcomes Among the Best in the Nation
Barnes-Jewish Hospital has maintained excellent survival rates for liver transplantation since the program was initiated in 1985. Using a multidisciplinary approach, combining the efforts of surgery, medicine, and outstanding support services such as interventional radiology, our liver transplant team is able to take on some of the most complex and challenging patients.
Our liver transplant recipients have a rejection rate of only about 20 percent, which is one of the lowest rates in the country. Directed by a principle of "less is more" regarding immunosuppressive drugs after transplant, our tailored therapies have greatly benefited our patients.
Excellent outcomes achieved by our team are a result of:
- Selection of the most appropriate transplant candidates
- World-renowned medical and surgical transplant specialists
- Expertise in caring for liver failure and liver transplant patients
- Rigorous pursuit of leading-edge therapies and promising new drugs
- Availability of advanced expertise in nearly every specialty
For more information on the liver transplant program at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, call 314-TOP-DOCS (314-867-3627) or toll-free 866-867-3627.