Steve Jobs Confirms Receiving Liver Transplant in Tennessee

On Tuesday, Methodist University Hospital issued a press release confirming that Steve Jobs had successfully undergone a liver transplant at the hospital’s transplant institute. Steve gave permission for the press release and the subsequent posting of information on the Methodist Healthcare web site.

Quoting from the press release:

He received a liver transplant because he was the patient with the highest MELD score (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) of his blood type and, therefore, the sickest patient on the waiting list at the time a donor organ became available. Mr. Jobs is now recovering well and has an excellent prognosis.

The transplant occurred in April.

There have been reports that Steve turned up on the Apple campus earlier this week, for a short visit. He is expected to return to Apple at the end of June, and will most likely start off on a part-time basis as he recovers from the surgery.

Liver transplant recipients who have a good prognosis are usually encouraged to return to work within a 3- to 6-month period. After 6 months, patients are encouraged to return to normal activities, resume a full work schedule, and even perform strenuous workouts, if they so desire.

Steve will have to take immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of his life to prevent his body from rejecting the liver transplant. The drugs are routinely adjusted, especially during the initial recovery period, and then only monitored a few times each year.

Jennifer Heisler, About.com’s Guide to Surgery, has more information about Steve’s surgery.