Liver Transplant Definition & Facts In this section: What is a liver transplant? How common are liver transplants? When do people need a liver transplant? What are the types of liver transplant? What are the survival rates after a liver transplant? What is a liver transplant? A liver transplant is surgery to remove your diseased or injured liver and replace it with a healthy liver from another person, called a donor. If your liver stops working properly, called liver failure, a liver transplant can save your life. A liver transplant removes your diseased or injured liver (right) and replaces it with a healthy liver (left). How common are liver transplants? In 2015, about 7,100 liver transplants were performed in the United States. Of these, almost 600 were performed in patients 17 years of age and younger. 1 When do people need a liver transplant? People need a liver transplant when their liver fails due to disease or injury. For adults in the United States, the most common rea