On the waiting list for a donor liver
If your liver is no longer working properly, a liver transplant may be necessary. You can then be placed on the waiting list.
The liver produces bile and breaks down toxic substances in your body. Your liver also helps process your food and clean your blood. When your liver is (almost) no longer working, a liver transplant may be the only solution. This is only possible if other treatments no longer help.
When do you get on the waiting list?
You are only placed on the waiting list once you have completed all medical examinations and are physically and mentally fit enough for surgery. The transplant center enters your details into the international waiting list of Eurotransplant.
How many people are waiting for a donor liver?
As of July 31, 2025, there were 34 people on the active waiting list for a liver from a deceased donor.
Below you will find the current waiting list statistics. Check the table in the top right (latest monthly figures) in the 'Transplantable' column.
How long do I have to wait?
If you are on a waiting list for a donor liver, you naturally want to know how soon it will be your turn. It is impossible to predict how long you will have to wait for a transplant.
The waiting time depends, among other things, on the number of people on the waiting list, how many organs become available, the severity of the disease (reMELD score), and whether the donor liver matches you.
Points system: reMELD-Na score
The waiting list for a donor liver works with a points system. You receive points based on the severity of the disease. This is called the reMELD-Na score.
What is the reMELD-Na score?
The reMELD-Na score is determined based on medical characteristics. What counts?
- The speed at which the blood clots.
- How well the kidneys function.
- How well the liver removes bilirubin. This is a substance that causes jaundice.
The reMELD-Na score ranges between 1 and 36. A score of 36 indicates the most severe situation. The higher the score, the higher you move up the waiting list.
Recalculating the score continuously
Your physician at the transplant hospital recalculates the reMELD-Na score on a regular basis. This is done according to a fixed schedule:
- Every week: for a score of 21 or higher.
- Every month: for a score between 16 and 20.
- Every 3 months: for a score between 10 and 15.
- Every year: for a score of 9 or lower.
Does your situation suddenly deteriorate? Then the score is recalculated.
Special reMELD-Na score
Sometimes the reMELD-Na score does not accurately estimate the risk of mortality, for example in people with liver cancer. They receive a special reMELD-Na score that better reflects their actual situation.
Children under the age of 18 also receive a separate score.
Who gets priority?
Who gets priority?
Some patients receive priority. They have a 'high-urgency status'. They can receive an organ from the international pool of organs.
Priority applies to:
- Patients with acute liver failure: their liver suddenly stops working. An international team of doctors determines whether they receive a high-urgency status.
- Patients in whom it becomes apparent within 14 days that a liver transplantation has failed. They receive a high-urgency status.
- Patients who are also waiting for another organ: meaning a liver plus a pancreas, lungs, heart, or small intestine. They receive priority because these are rare combinations.
Allocation of a donor liver
Does a donor liver become available?
Then the computer program first checks whether it is suitable for the international group of patients with a high-urgency status. The medical data of the donor and patient must match, such as weight and blood type. The program also takes fair distribution between countries into account.
Is the donor liver not suitable for this group?
Then the system checks the Dutch waiting list. For patients with the same reMELD-Na score, the length of time they have been on the waiting list with a particular score is taken into account.
Living donor liver transplantation
It is also possible for a living donor to donate part of their liver to a patient. The liver is a remarkable organ. After you donate a piece of your liver, it grows back.
A living donor transplantation can be scheduled well in advance. This increases the chance of success. However, the donor surgery is not without risks for the donor. Therefore, the donor must first be medically approved for this.
After the transplantation
A transplantation is a major surgery. You need time to recover physically and mentally.
How long does a donor liver last?
Most donor livers function well in the first years after transplantation.
- In the first year, the risk of rejection is highest. That sounds alarming, but often adjusting the medication helps when signs of rejection occur.
- 5 years after the surgery, about 71% of donor livers from deceased donors are still functioning well.
- If a donor liver stops working properly, you can sometimes undergo another liver transplantation.
More information
Do you have questions about your own situation? Ask your doctor, as they know your medical situation best.