I understand that human livers have two bile ducts, one in each lobe. When a live donor donates their left lobe, the donor’s right lobe cells regrow, but they don’t “recreate” the left bile duct. Is the liver now less effective since it only has one duct? How does having one duct affect the body compared to having two?
In: 9
The liver happens to have some structure, but it doesn’t matter that much; half a liver is nearly as good as a whole one. In this case, while an organ as big as the liver normally needs some widespread tubing in different places to drain all the bile, a transplanted half-liver is fine with just enough tubing to drain what it makes (which isn’t very much, certainly not enough to fill the tube.) All the smaller bile ducts normally converge on the common bile duct anyway, so as long as it has a way out, you’re fine.
The liver happens to have some structure, but it doesn’t matter that much; half a liver is nearly as good as a whole one. In this case, while an organ as big as the liver normally needs some widespread tubing in different places to drain all the bile, a transplanted half-liver is fine with just enough tubing to drain what it makes (which isn’t very much, certainly not enough to fill the tube.) All the smaller bile ducts normally converge on the common bile duct anyway, so as long as it has a way out, you’re fine.
Latest Answers