Evaluation and medical care on the waiting list: The patient undergoes a series of tests to determine if they are suitable for the surgery. The evaluation includes assessing the patient’s overall health, assessment of the cause and degree of intestinal failure, psychological readiness for the transplant, and technical feasibility of the operation. Most patients on long-term IV nutrition require meticulous care of the IV line and treatment of recurrent infections they face. Despite all care and efforts, these patients may be nutritionally depleted and face a high risk of dying while waiting for the transplant.

Organ Matching: When a suitable intestine donor is available, the donor and patient’s blood are cross matched i.e., their compatibility is checked for factors such as blood group, tissue type, and size. If found compatible, the transplant team retrieves the organs and another team prepares the patient’s abdomen for the transplant.