Question

A client with end-stage liver disease is scheduled to undergo a liver transplant. The client tells the nurse, "I am worried that my body will reject the liver." Which statement is the nurse's best response to the client?

A. "You will need to take daily medication to prevent rejection of the transplanted liver. The new liver has a good chance of survival with the use of these drugs."
B. "You would not be scheduled for a transplant if there was a concern about rejection."
C. "The problem of rejection is not as common in liver transplants as in other organ transplants."
D. "It is easier to get a good tissue match with liver transplants than with other types of transplants."

Answer 1

The nurse's best response is to inform the patient about the necessity of taking immunosuppressive drugs to prevent organ rejection. Proper matching of donor and recipient tissues, specifically MHC genes, along with these medications, can significantly reduce the risk of rejection and improve the transplant's success.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse's best response to a client with end-stage liver disease who is worried about the body rejecting the transplanted liver is: "You will need to take daily immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection of the transplanted liver. The new liver has a good chance of survival with the use of these drugs." This is because the recipient's immune system recognizes the proteins on the incompatible organ as foreign and will attack these proteins, causing rejection.

Donor and recipient matching, particularly for MHC (HLA) genes, and the use of immunosuppressive therapy are crucial in organ transplantation. With the correct matching and medication regimen, the risk of rejection can be reduced, allowing for successful transplantation and improved survival rates. Despite the challenges, tissue typing and anti-rejection medication have significantly advanced, making procedures more common and successful.