Since the eighties transplantations of the liver developed dynamically. In the USA on average 15 transplanta- tions per year are made, in the countries of Eurotransplant 10 transplantations per 1 million population. The objective of the study was to map the development of liver transplantation in Eastern Europe up to the middle of 1998. Specialists of the respective countries were sent questionnaires. The results are presented in this paper. Livers are not transplanted in the Baltic states, Moldavia, Bielorussia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonian and Bosnia. In Croatia and in Slovakia of the two transplanted patients neither survived the immediate posttransplantation period, in Slovenia one of two survived, in Serbia 8 of 9, in the Ukraine 4 of 7 since 1995. In Russia transplantations are made since 1990 (31 patients) and in recent years, one-year survival is 82.5 %. In Poland the first transplanted patient survived hospitalization in 1994. A total of 55 transplantations in adults are reported (with one-year survival of 70 %) and 29 in children. In Hungary since 1995 63 transplantations were performed (19 in 1998) with 85 % one-year survival. In former Eastern Germany since 1992 196 transplantations were performed in four centres with a one-year survival of 80–88 %. From all above transplantations in 42 the indication was alcoholic cirrhosis, in 29 hepatocellular carcinoma and in 23 hepatitis C. In Bohemia the first transplantation was made already in 1983 but a steady increase can be observed only since 1994. During the investigation period 182 transplantations were made in the IKEM centre, 92 with a 91% one-year survival. Of 19 countries in the region in 9 attempts of liver transplantations were made. The most active centre in the whole area is Prague IKEM. The three Central European countries (Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary) which have also the highest gross national pro- duct are closest to the routine programme at the level of Eurotransplant from the quantitative as well as qualitative aspect.

        Key words: transplantations of the liver – Eastern Europe