PGI set to start live liver transplants

“As of now,post-operation investigations show that the graft is functioning well,all the anastomosis are perfect and the liver function tests are normalising. The patient is on circulatory support now,” said the team of doctors.

The departments which were involved in the surgery include surgery,hepatology,anaesthesia,radiology,neurology,gastroenterology,transfusion medicine and cardiology. On a query about the cost of this liver transplant surgery,Dr Behera said,“Though the exact cost cannot be ascertained at this stage as the patient is still in the ICU,it may be around Rs 5 lakh till now.”

He also stated that the initial two weeks are very crucial for the recipient patient as both the body and the new liver have to accept each other in terms of functioning. Right now the patient is being monitored for pulmonary,urology,liver and other body functions.

“The patient,44-year-old Vijay Khurana,a resident of Saharanpur,was suffering from cryptogenic liver cirrhosis with end-stage liver disease and had only 50 per cent of his liver functioning. He will have to take medicines all his life,only the dose may vary with time,” said Dr Chawla.

Khurana had been waiting for a liver transplant for the past six months. Even now,PGI has about 15-20 registered patients who need liver transplants.

“We get at least 10 new cases of end-stage liver disease every week,out of which at least two require a transplant. But besides a donor,a patient’s age and blood group too have to be kept in mind,” Dr Chawla pointed out.

PGI had registered with the Ministry of Health for liver transplants in 2009 and was granted recognition in December 2009. But for want of a donor,no transplant could take place till the latest case.