Key Takeaways
- 3,000+ liver transplants performed annually in the U.S. (OPTN data), reflecting ongoing high procedure volume
- ~5,000 liver transplants performed annually in the European Union is not a single official figure; use per-country official totals—Germany alone reports 800+ liver transplants per year (European Observatory / national transplant data compilation)
- Waitlist dropout due to deterioration occurs at a measurable annual rate; OPTN/UNOS waitlist outcomes provide quantified removals (OPTN waitlist outcomes)
- ~1.5% of candidates are bridged with TACE/locoregional therapies in some U.S. cohorts (waitlist bridging patterns in published studies)
- HCV-positive liver recipients historically accounted for a substantial share; by 2019–2020 the number of HCV-viremic donors used increased after DAA era (OPTN/UNOS by donor/recipient serostatus reporting)
- 1-year graft survival of 85% for U.S. liver transplant recipients using modern practice metrics (OPTN/UNOS survival statistics)
- 0.5%–1.0% annual incidence of acute rejection episodes after liver transplant varies by immunosuppression protocol (reviewed ranges in peer-reviewed literature)
- ~10%–20% post-liver transplant readmission rates within 90 days in contemporary U.S. datasets (peer-reviewed observational studies)
- Living donor liver transplantation volume in Japan is among the highest worldwide at several thousand procedures historically (review article with quantified counts)
- ~6% of U.S. living donor evaluations for liver proceed to transplant in published program experience (U.S. living donor candidacy funnel studies)
- Living donor evaluation includes minimum donor age thresholds commonly reported as ≥18 years in U.S./international protocols (peer-reviewed donor selection guidelines)
- Deceased donor liver procurement depends on donor brain death; U.S. donor type shares are reported in OPTN donor characteristics (OPTN donor type)
- Nutritional and surgical factors affect graft viability; ischemia time is routinely reported in studies with quantified outcomes by cold ischemia duration (peer-reviewed analyses)
- Cold ischemia time median commonly falls within ~8–10 hours in many series, associated with graft outcomes (systematic review/meta-analysis)
- Liver transplant immunosuppression commonly includes tacrolimus; typical target trough ranges vary by post-transplant time (clinical guideline)
In the U.S. and beyond, liver transplant volumes remain high, with modern care delivering strong 1-year survival.
Related reading
Transplant Volume
Transplant Volume Interpretation
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Listing, Bridging & Eligibility
Listing, Bridging & Eligibility Interpretation
Outcomes & Survival
Outcomes & Survival Interpretation
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Living Donation
Living Donation Interpretation
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Organ Supply & Donors
Organ Supply & Donors Interpretation
Cost Analysis
Cost Analysis Interpretation
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Industry Trends
Industry Trends Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Leah Kessler. (2026, February 13). Liver Donation Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/liver-donation-statistics
Leah Kessler. "Liver Donation Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/liver-donation-statistics.
Leah Kessler. 2026. "Liver Donation Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/liver-donation-statistics.
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