Liver Transplant: Leap Towards A Longer And Better Life

Liver transplant is a surgical procedure that is performed on patients suffering from end-stage liver disease, for improving the quality of life, as well as, for adding some more years to it. It is usually the last resort of treatment when all other options fail to give positive results. At present, liver transplant in India is in its golden period with more than 25,000 transplants performed annually.

Undergoing a liver transplant is definitely not a small deal and you have to prepare for it both physically as well as mentally. On top of that, finding the right donor can also be a cause of concern. However, the Best hospitals in India have their own organ banks where you can register yourself and get informed as soon as they find a suitable donor. No doubt liver transplant is a major surgery, but the use of cutting edge techniques and equipment has uncomplicated the procedure and made it convenient for both the patients as well as the doctors.

The liver is the largest gland of the human body that carries out a plethora of important functions which include the production of bile and detoxification of blood. The normal functioning of the liver is crucial for our well-being, however severe liver injuries and chronic diseases like acute Hepatic fulminant failure, Extrahepatic biliary atresia or hypoplasia, Sclerosing cholangitis, Hepatic vein thrombosis, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Cirrhosis and congenital metabolic errors can drastically impact your liver and cause irreversible damage. In such cases, medication alone will not be of any help and this calls for the need for a transplant.

Depending upon the portion of the liver affected, a liver transplant can be broadly classified into two different types, i.e. partial liver transplant and total liver transplant, both of which are offered at all the leading liver hospitals in Delhi.

Partial liver transplant

Partial liver transplant, as the name suggests, is performed on patients whose liver has been partly damaged. In such cases, only the damaged part of the liver is replaced while the remaining portion is left completely intact.

A partial liver transplant can be further classified into living donor transplant, deceased donor transplant and split liver transplant depending upon the source.

Living donor transplant- a small portion of the liver is taken from a healthy donor who fills all the eligibility criteria. Since the liver has regenerative properties, the donor’s liver grows back into its original form within a few months.

Deceased donor transplant- this is also known as orthotopic transplant. A small portion of a healthy liver is taken from the body of a deceased donor who has registered himself for the donation prior to his death.

Split liver transplant- it is a type of orthotopic transplant in which the healthy liver is split into two parts to be used for treating two different patients.

Total liver transplant

Total liver transplant is performed on patients whose liver has been damaged completely and there is no scope of retrieving any part of it. In such cases, the liver is taken from a deceased donor. Before carrying out the transplant, the doctors have to make sure that the liver is healthy and that the donor wasn’t suffering from any chronic or life-threatening disease.

Before you opt for a liver transplant, it is important to consider all the risks and benefits and consult a specialist to make sure that you are eligible for the procedure. A liver transplant can even be performed on children. After the transplant, you will be asked to make certain healthy lifestyle modifications and refrain from certain activities. The recipients are also required to take anti-rejection medicines throughout their life to negate any risks of organ rejection. Regular health check-ups are also mandatory for monitoring post-surgical developments and avoiding unnecessary complications.