Out-Of-Province Transplant
The Saskatchewan Transplant Program in Saskatoon helps people who need heart, liver, or lung transplants. We do early checkups and work with the Alberta transplant team to get patients ready for their transplant. Below, we outline our services for out-of-province transplant recipients and provide information on becoming a living liver donor.
Heart, Lung, and Liver Transplant
Although heart, lung and liver transplants are not performed in Saskatchewan, care for those individuals who need transplant, or have received such a transplant, is available in Saskatchewan.
Most Saskatchewan residents who are in need of a heart, lung, or liver transplant are referred by their specialist to transplanting programs in Edmonton, Alberta. Assessment, wait listing and transplant for these organ groups are completed by these programs.
Post-transplant Saskatchewan recipients of heart, lung, or liver transplants will receive receive follow-up care in Saskatchewan, in collaboration with your transplanting program.
Saskatchewan Transplant Program: Pediatric Renal
Children in Saskatchewan with Kidney Disease are all followed by the team at the Pediatric Kidney Health Clinic out of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital. These children are followed by the same team throughout their kidney health journey. Their transplant process will be initiated by their Kidney Health Team.
Once these children are assessed to be ready for transplant their team in Saskatchewan will then refer them to the Pediatrics team at the Renal Transplant Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. This team in Alberta has pediatric surgeons who specialize in transplant. The Edmonton team will do their own assessment and once approved, Children from Saskatchewan can then go on to either be listed on the deceased donor waitlist or have their living donor surgery booked.
After surgery children from Saskatchewan can expect to stay in Edmonton anywhere from 6-12 weeks before they are transferred back to the team at the Pediatric Kidney Health Clinic in Saskatoon.
If you are interested in being a living donor for a patient you can contact the Saskatchewan Transplant Program’s
Living Liver Donation
Living liver donation is a selfless act that can significantly reduce wait times for patients with end-stage liver disease. By donating a portion of your liver, you can save a life. The donated portion and the donor’s remaining liver regenerate within 4–8 weeks, restoring normal function.
What is Living Liver Donation?
Living liver donation involves a healthy individual donating a portion of their liver to someone in need of a transplant. The procedure has been performed safely since 1989, with thousands of successful transplants worldwide. The donated liver portion is transplanted into the recipient on the same day, and both the donor’s and recipient’s livers grow back to full size and function.
Is It Safe?
Living liver donation is generally safe but carries some risks:
- Risk of Death: Estimated at 1 in 500 to 1 in 1,000 (0.1–0.2%), compared to 3 in 10,000 (0.03%) for kidney donation.
- Other Risks: You might have bleeding, blood clots, pain, nausea, or an infection. There’s a small chance of a problem with your bile ducts (tubes that carry bile in your liver) or, very rarely, you might need a liver transplant yourself. No one in Canada has died from liver donation.
Who can Donate a Liver?
To Donate |
Unable to Donate |
Be healthy with a healthy liver and a normal weight. | Have certain illnesses like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. |
Have a blood type that matches the person who needs the liver. | Have heart disease, kidney disease, or diabetes. |
Be 19–55 years old (talk with Edmonton team if outside of this range). | Struggle with alcohol or drugs. |
Want to donate because you choose to, not because someone is pressuring you. | Have cancer (some skin cancers might be okay—ask the team). |
The Donation Process
- Assessment: The process takes 2–6 months and includes:
- Providing your medical history and lifestyle information.
- Blood tests, imaging (e.g., chest X-ray, MRI, or CT scan), and, rarely, a liver biopsy.
- Meetings with a multidisciplinary team, including a nurse coordinator, surgeon, general medicine doctor, social worker, dietician, psychologist, and other specialists as needed.
- Surgery: Performed in Edmonton, the surgery involves:
- A 4–6 hour procedure under general anesthesia.
- Removal of a portion of your liver and gallbladder.
- Immediate transplantation of the donated liver portion into the recipient.
- Recovery:
- Hospital stay of 5–10 days, followed by a short stay in the Edmonton area.
- Full recovery takes 6–12 weeks, with restrictions on lifting heavy objects or strenuous activities for about 3 months.
- Potential short-term complications include pain, nausea, infection, or bile leaks.
- Follow-Up:
- A follow-up appointment is scheduled about 1 month post-surgery, with additional visits as needed.
You can stop the donation process at any time, and your decision will be fully supported. Only a small number of potential donors are accepted due to strict health and safety criteria.
How to Become a Living Liver Donor
If you’re a Saskatchewan resident and interested in becoming a living liver donor, contact the Edmonton Living Donor Program at livingdonors@ahs.ca. The team will guide you through the process and answer any questions.
Saskatchewan Transplant Program
St Paul’s Hospital
1702 20th Street West
Saskatoon, SK S7M 0Z9
Phone: 1-306-655-5054