THE FACTS

The Latest Information About Living Donor Liver Transplant in The US & Overseas

2022: Key Numbers

All Organ Transplants in 202242,887
Increase from 2021↑ 3.7%
Key MilestoneNew annual record

2022: Deceased Donor Trends

Number of Deceased Donors14,903
Increase from 2021↑ 7.5%
Key Milestone12th consecutive year with an increase in deceased donation

2022: US Liver Transplant History

Total Number of Liver Transplants Since 1988202,394
Living Donor Transplants Since 19889,084 or 4.5% of total
Deceased Donor Transplants Since 1988193,311 or 95.5% of total
2022: Number of Liver Transplants9,528 (up 6.8% vs. 2021)
2022 Living Donor Transplants603 or 6.3% of total
2022 Deceased Donor Transplants8,925 or 93.7% of total
Key Milestone2022: most living donor liver transplants ever
Increase in Living Donor Transplants from 20216.0%
Increase in Deceased Donor Transplants from 20213.2% 

2022: Transplants By Organ

Kidney25,499
Liver9,528
Heart4,111

* Total kidney transplant exceed 25,000 for the first year ever.

*Annual records also set for liver, heart and lung transplants.

2022: Living Donor Trends Liver & Kidney

Total Number of Living Kidney & Liver Donors6,466*
Decrease from 2021 1.2%
Living Liver Donors603
Living Kidney Donors5863

* Living donor transplant volumes were negatively impacted in 2020, 2021 & 2022 by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Liver Transplant Around the Globe

USA Deceased donor is predominant form of transplant
South & Southeast Asia Living donor is predominant form of transplant mainly due to cultural beliefs and religious differences related to deceased donor transplant
Knowledge Sharing Many surgeons from USA travel to Japan, South Korea and China to learn latest techniques and share best practices

2022: Living Donor: Liver & Kidney Transplant Comparison

Liver603 living donor transplants6.3% of total liver transplants
Kidney5,863 living donor transplants23.0% of total kidney transplants

Candidates* on UNOS Transplant Waiting List (As of 4/3/23)

Liver10,448
Kidney88,765
Liver Wait List OutcomesApproximately 15 – 20% of patients awaiting a liver transplant die or become too sick to receive a transplant

*A patient who is waiting at more than one center, or for multiple organs, would be counted as only one candidate.