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Glossary of Terms

• Acute Hepatic Failure (AHF)
  process of sudden dramatic decline in liver function This may result from a variety of causes drug reactions, alcohol/drug overdose, acute hepatitis A,B,C, or some unknown reason

• Anesthesia
  medicine given by injection or mouth that causes partial or complete loss of feeling for a period of time, usually during surgery

• Antirejection Medicine
  (See Immunosuppressants)

• Antibiotics
  drugs taken to prevent infections and kill bacteria

• Antihypertensive
  medicine that prevents or controls high blood pressure

• Aspirin
  pain reliever taken by mouth; also helps to prevent blood clot formation

• Ascites
  an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity

• Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH)
  chronic and progressive condition in which the patient's own immune systems attacks the liver causing inflammation and liver failure The condition is chronic and progressive

• Cardiac Catheterization
  a procedure in which a small tube is guided through a vein or an artery into the right or left side of the heart to check the function of the heart and the coronary arteries

• Cardiologist
  doctor who studies and treats diseases of the heart

• CellCept®
  immunosuppressant drug used mainly to prevent the body from rejecting an organ or tissue transplant (see also mycophenolate mofetil)

• Cholesterol
  fat substance found in animal meats, dairy products and produced by the liver; a high level of cholesterol in the blood is a risk factor for developing heart disease Blood cholesterol can be elevated by cyclosporine

• Clinical Nutritionist
  specialist in selecting foods that repair or maintain the body

• Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
  a very common virus that usually causes a flu-like illness with fever, general body aches, and a decreased appetite which lasts two or three days

• Congenital
  existing at birth

• Cyclosporine
  drug that helps keep the body from rejecting a transplanted organ Brand names include Neoral® and Gengraf®

• Dermatology
  study and treatment of skin

• Diabetes
  the body’s inability to control the amount of insulin or blood sugar it produces for energy

• Diastolic Blood Pressure
  bottom number of the blood pressure reading that shows the amount of resistance in the blood vessels that the heart has to overcome

• Diuretic
  medication that assists the kidneys in ridding the body of excess fluid

• Donor
  person who gives an organ to be used in another person

• Echocardiogram
  diagnostic test that uses reflected sound wave images to see the heart and provides information regarding the structure and function of the heart

• Edema
  swelling of body tissue caused by fluid leaking from blood vessels

• Endotracheal Tube
  long tube used to provide an airway into the lungs This tube is generally connected to a breathing machine

• ERCP
  GI procedure used to visualize the biliary ducts from the “inside out” Endoscopist places the tube down the patient’s throat and approaches bile duct from common duct

• Fluid Retention
  condition in which the body stores excess fluid

• Gallbladder
  organ that stores bile

• Gallstones
  stones that form when the bile has too much cholesterol

• Hepatitis A Virus (HAV)
  virus that attacks the liver, usually transmitted through sea food contamination; vaccination against available

• Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
  virus that attacks the liver, obtained through sex with someone who is infected, blood transfusions, IV, sharing tattoos; may be vaccinated against prior to infection

• Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
  virus that attacks the liver, obtained through blood transfusions, needle sharing, tattoos; not thought to be sexually transmitted; no vaccine available;

• Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)
  liver cancer; may be contraindication for transplant if tumor is too large or numerous

• Idiopathic
  arising from an unknown or obscure cause

• Immune System
  your body’s natural defense system against foreign invaders such as viruses, bacteria, some types of cancers, and sometimes transplanted organs or tissue

• Immunization
  giving antibodies or other agents to protect against disease

• Immunosuppressants
  drugs that help treat or prevent the immune system from rejecting an organ or tissue transplant

• Immunosupression
  process of preventing the body’s immune system from rejecting an organ or tissue transplant

• Infection
  condition in which the body is invaded by a disease-causing micro-organism

• Intravenous (IV)
  a catheter (small tube) inserted into a vein so that fluid, blood or medicine can be received

• Jaundice
  yellow/green/gray coloration of skin; usually corresponds to increasing serum bilirubin; may or may not be accompanied by pruritus

• Lab Draw
  process of taking blood or urine for laboratory analysis

• Laboratory (Lab)
  place where blood and specimens are studied and identified

• LifeLink
  organization which matches organs and tissues with potential recipients

• Liver Biopsy
  a small sample of liver is extracted with a needle placed either through the abdominal wall and into the liver or through the jugular vein down into the liver

• Medic Alert
  nonprofit organization that provides a bracelet or necklace with your personal medical information which can be used by medical personnel in case you have a car accident or other type of emergency

• Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis
  liver disease that is characterized by increased deposition of fat in the liver, eventually inhibits ability of liver to function

• Orthotopic Liver Transplant (OLT)
  old diseased liver is removed & new liver from other source replaced in same location

• Post-transplant
  after transplantation

• Pravachol
  drug that lowers cholesterol

• Prednisone
  medication used to limit rejection of a transplanted organ or tissue

• Pre–transplant
  before transplantation

• Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC)
  a chronic disease that causes a progressive destruction of bile ducts in the liver

• Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC)

• Prograf®
  (See Tacrolimus)

• Prostate
  gland around the neck of the bladder and urethra in males that secretes ejaculatory fluid

• Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)
  special blood test recommended for men over the age of 50 to screen for prostate cancer

• Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
  nurse specially trained to help you and your family deal with behavioral and mental issues such as stress, anxiety, depression and addiction

• Psychiatrist
  physician who diagnoses and treats mental disorders

• Rectal
  lower part of the colon or large intestine

• Rejection
  condition in which recipient’s body rejects tissue or organ transferred from a donor

• Sclerosing Cholangitis
  a disease in which the bile ducts become narrowed from inflammation and scarring

• Split Liver
  a whole liver is split between two persons usually an adult and child

• Status
  patient’s current condition

• Systolic Blood Pressure
  amount of force used by the heart to eject blood out of the heart; “systolic” refers to the top number read as part of blood pressure

• T-tube
  a tube placed in the bile duct that allows bile to drain into a bag outside the body

• Tacrolimus
  drug the helps keep the body from rejecting a transplanted organ Brand name is Prograf®

• Testicular
  Relating to the male reproductive glands that produce reproductive cells and the hormone testosterone

• Tetanus
  infectious disease that causes painful muscle contractions; also known as lockjaw

• Transplant Coordinator
  specially trained, registered nurse who coordinates care for patients before and after transplantation

• Transplant Surgeon
  highly trained doctor who perfoms the transplant operation

• Transplantation
  transfer of living tissue or organs from one person to another

• Ultrasound
  device that uses ultrasonic waves to outline the shape of various tissues and organs of the body

• UNOS
  United Network for Organ Sharing, a national agency that maintains a national computerized transplant waiting list and helps locate donor organs

• Vaccination
  injection that builds your body’s resistance to an infection

• Ventilator
  mechanical device which controls and monitors flow of air to the lungs

• Vital Signs
  temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure

• Zantac®
  drug used to treat stomach problems like peptic ulcers and heartburn