What is the difference in quality of a whole cadaver liver vs a small portion of a living donor's liver?

Variable: It would depend on the size an health of the living donor. A segment of a younger living donor liver may be just as effective in reversing liver failure as an entire cadaver liver from an older donor who had some infirmities.

Living donor liver: In experienced centers, outcomes following living donor liver transplants are significantly better than deceased donor whole livers. In general, patients receiving these wonderful gifts are in better condition than those wait and getting much sicker for an liver from the organ banks. This is part of the reason why outcomes are better.