Research advances in timing of liver transplantation for cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is the intermediate stage from benign liver disease to end-stage liver disease.The time from liver disease to cirrhosis and even end-stage liver disease may vary from 5 to 20 years.For end-stage liver disease,liver transplantation,as the only effective treatment,has been recognized.However,there is no consensus on when liver transplantation should be adopted in patients with cirrhosis.The liver function of patients with cirrhosis is deteriorating gradually,and the patients also face various portal hypertension complications.This article reviews the timing of liver transplantation for cirrhosis from different perspectives based on current researches and guidelines.