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Liver & intestine

Current policy & guidance

OPTN Policy

See Policy 9 — Allocation of livers and liver-intestines.

OPTN policy

Updates to MELD, PELD and Status 1A/1B

Acuity circles allocation policy

The liver allocation policy makes matches by comparing medical and logistical characteristics about deceased donors and transplant candidates. In general, the first matches will be made for the most urgent candidates listed at transplant programs within a certain distance from the donor hospital. The specific sequence used will vary according to certain facts about the donor, such as the donor’s age and mechanism of death.

View examples that illustrate the allocation sequence based on different donor characteristics.

National Liver Review Board (NLRB)

Allocation calculators

The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) and Pediatric End-Stage Liver Disease (PELD) calculators are numerical scales used for liver allocation.

MELD calculator
Ages 12 and older
PELD calculator
Under age 12

Additional resources in this section

Related committees

Liver & Intestinal Organ Transplantation Committee