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ANSWER TO QUESTION OF THE WEEK: (10/9/05)
Living liver donation involves the removal of one lobe of the liver from a donor, (typically the right lobe in adult-to-adult transplantation), and its transplantation into the recipient with liver disease. The living-donor recipient must meet the same qualifications as the recipient of a conventional liver transplant. In addition, an extensive evaluation of the donor is undertaken. The donor must be between 20-50 years old, must have a blood type that is compatible with the recipient and must pass extensive psychological testing. A complete blood evaluation, electrocardiogram, chest radiograph, sonogram of the abdomen, a CT scan to assess the volume of the liver, and a special type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the bile ducts, must all be performed. An informed consent form must be reviewed carefully by the donor – who must be clearly informed that withdrawal from the process is always an option. A liver biopsy may need to be performed on those donors with risk factors for a fatty liver. This is because fatty livers carry an increased risk of complications including rejection for the recipient. The donor may be either related (living-related liver donor) or not related (live-unrelated liver donor) to the recipient.
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Dr. Palmer is an internationally renowned hepatologist who has been practicing medicine since 1985. She maintains perhaps the largest private medical practice devoted to liver disease in the United States. Dr. Palmer graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. and was trained in hepatology (as well as medical school) at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. She has authored numerous scientific publications in the field of hepatology in such peer-reviewed journals as Hepatology, Gastroenterology, Seminars of Liver Disease, Transplantation and Archives of Internal Medicine.
She is frequently called upon by the media for her opinion on various topics related to liver disease. Dr. Palmer has appeared many times on television as a liver disease expert and has been quoted in such publications as TIME magazine, Cosmopolitan magazine, Prevention magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and Newsday. She also has appeared in numerous videos and CD-Roms aimed at educating doctors and the public about hepatitis C and other liver diseases, such as primary biliary cirrhosis.Dr. Palmer lectures to the medical and general public on liver disease-related topics on a regular basis. She also serves as a liver consultant to five major pharmaceutical companies.
Dr. Palmer is a board member of the New York chapter of the American Liver Foundation, and she sits on the nutrition subcommittee of the national chapter of the American Liver Foundation, the medical advisory board of the Latino Organization for Liver Awareness (LOLA) and the medical advisory board of the Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Organization (PBCers). She has also been a member of the practice guidelines committee of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease(AASLD) and currently sits on the enduring educational materials committee of AASLD.
Dr. Palmer has performed trials on various experimental medication for the treatment of hepatitis. She is currently conducting research on new therapies for liver disease, specifically in the area of hepatitis C.
Her practice is located on Long Island, New York. (Main office located at: 1097 Old Country Road, Suite 104, Plainview, N.Y. 11803.
Satellite office located at 500 Portion Rd. Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y. 11779)
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If you are interested in arranging an appointment with Melissa Palmer, M.D., please call (516) 939-2626.
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