When is a liver transplant needed?

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The main idea is that a liver transplant is indicated when the liver’s function is irreversibly lost or the liver is dying, so replacement becomes the only option to sustain life. This happens in end‑stage liver disease or fulminant liver failure, where medical therapy can’t restore function. Transplant isn’t for cosmetic reasons, and it isn’t needed for mild hepatitis. In acute liver failure, a transplant may be life-saving if prognosis without it is poor, but it’s not limited to just that scenario; many patients with chronic, progressive liver failure also need a transplant. Therefore, the statement that best fits the indication is that a transplant is needed when the liver is dying.