Medical Problems: Elevated Liver Function Tests Post Liver Transplant

OVERVIEW

This page is dedicated to discussing elevation of liver function test values in the setting of a recent liver transplant. This is a fairly specific medical problem that is in a very specialized section of medicine, and it has its own approach that is outlined further below.

The elevation of LFTs in the setting of a recent liver transplant requires its own approach given that it is a unique clinical context (image source).

PATTERNS OF LFT ELEVATION: SUB CATEGORIES

While this is a fairly specific topic already, there are (relatively) discrete patterns of LFT elevation that can further sub-stratify our differential diagnosis

Elevation of both ALT/AST
Elevation of both ALP and bilirubin
Elevation of only ALP

OPTIONS FOR FURTHER EXPLORING THE CAUSE OF LFT ELEVATION

While there are the sub-categories outlined above, it is important to appreciate that there are a finite number of ways to further explore these findings of LFT elevation (regardless of the exact pattern observed).

Ultrasound of liver (with doppler)
Liver biopsy

Page Updated: 08.09.2018