July 29, 2025

Prisma Health Launches Liver Transplant Services in Greenville

News Summary

The Prisma Health Transplant Center in Greenville has launched its liver transplant services, improving access to critical care for patients in the region. Previously, patients had to travel out of state for transplants. Approved by UNOS, the program successfully completed its first transplant and aims to serve patients with various liver conditions, addressing a significant healthcare need in South Carolina where mortality rates from liver disease are high.

Greenville, SC – The Prisma Health Transplant Center has announced the launch of its liver transplant services, significantly improving access to care for patients in the region. Previously, patients needing liver transplants were forced to travel to various transplant centers across the Southeast. The new program, approved by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) in June, has already successfully completed its first liver transplant.

The newly established liver transplant program at the Prisma Health Transplant Center will handle an array of liver conditions, including both acute and chronic liver failure as well as liver cancers. A comprehensive list of potential candidates for future liver transplants has been compiled, ensuring that patients in need can be well served by the new services.

The liver transplant process consists of several critical stages, including early evaluation, preparation, the donor process, surgery, and subsequent follow-up care. This systematic approach underlines the center’s commitment to delivering a thorough and effective treatment pathway for its patients.

According to health officials, southern states, including South Carolina, experience high mortality rates linked to liver disease. In 2021 alone, 1,096 individuals in South Carolina lost their lives due to liver-related complications. In 2023, only 58 liver transplants were performed statewide, while approximately 150 South Carolinians are estimated to require a liver transplant each year. The establishment of the liver transplant program aims to reduce the travel burden for both patients and their families during the transplant process.

The Prisma Health Transplant Center at Greenville Memorial Hospital is one of only 256 transplant centers nationwide and the third to operate in South Carolina. Since its inception in 2022, the center has provided kidney and pancreas transplants before recently expanding to liver transplants. The center has successfully completed a total of 350 organ transplants since opening.

Common risk factors for liver disease include obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and alcohol use, which continue to pose significant health challenges for the population. The liver is the ninth leading cause of death in South Carolina, highlighting the urgency and necessity for the newly launched services by the Prisma Health Transplant Center.

The center is focused on improving the quality of life for patients who undergo successful liver transplants, emphasizing access to innovative treatment options and state-of-the-art technology that can help patients lead longer, healthier lives. This commitment is particularly crucial for the residents of Greenville and the surrounding areas who now have dedicated liver transplant services closer to home.

For those interested in learning more about the liver transplant program and other services offered at Prisma Health, additional information is readily available on the organization’s website.