Liver Transplant Assessment — RACP Adult Medicine MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

HardGastroenterology & HepatologyLiver Transplant AssessmentRACP Adult Medicine

A 55-year-old man with decompensated cirrhosis and a MELD score of 22 is being assessed for liver transplantation. He has abstained from alcohol for 8 months. According to Australian transplant criteria, what is the minimum recommended period of alcohol abstinence before listing?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C — No fixed period – assessed on case-by-case basis

Australian liver transplant programmes have moved away from a rigid '6-month rule' for alcohol abstinence. Current practice emphasises a comprehensive psychosocial assessment, addiction medicine review, and demonstrated engagement with alcohol treatment services, rather than a fixed abstinence period. The ACCELERATE trial showed comparable outcomes with early transplant (<6 months abstinence) in selected patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis.

Reference: TSANZ – 2024 – Liver Transplantation Consensus; eTG – 2025 – Gastrointestinal