Liver transplantation involves removing the diseased liver from the patient and replacing it with a healthy liver. The healthy liver is usually obtained from a deceased donor,but sometimes transplant is done using a part of the healthy liver that is obtained from a living donor.
The liver is one of the vital organs responsible for the multitude of functions that keep the body healthy. Some of them include:
Liver transplantation is usually recommended for a patient whose liver fails to perform these functions. This failure in function can be caused due to a disease or an injury.
End-stage chronic liver disease is the most common cause for people needing a liver transplant, and this slowly developing condition can progress through months, years, and even decades. End-stage chronic liver disease is usually caused due to liver cirrhosis which involves the scar tissues slowly replacing the healthy liver tissues. Acute liver failure is a rare condition where the healthy liver can suddenly fail to operate.
There are two types of liver transplantation
This is the most common type of liver transplantation where the healthy liver for transplant is obtained from a deceased donor. The surgeons operate on the deceased to remove the healthy liver to transplant it into the donor. Usually, the whole liver is transplanted to the patient, but in some cases, the surgeon may decide to split the healthy donor liver into two parts. The more significant part might be transplanted to an adult, while the small part may work for a child.
For this procedure, a part of the liver for the transplant is obtained from a living donor. This is a safe procedure for both the donor and the patient since the liver can regenerate itself, so the living donor’s liver, after transplant, can grow back to its original size. Living donor liver transplantation is not as common as deceased donor transplantation, and the donor is often a family member of the patient.
The patients eligible for liver transplantation are carefully selected. Doctors have a MELD score, which determines the urgency with which a patient needs a transplant. The MELD score estimates the patient’s survival rate who needs a liver transplant within the next three months. The MELD score ranges from 6-40, and having a high MELD score means you have a high priority for getting the transplant.
Though the number of liver transplants occurring in India is on the rise, the number of people who need to get a transplant is also increasing. The cost of receiving a liver transplant can range anywhere between 30 lakhs to 60 lakhs depending on the institution where you decide to get the transplantation done. Apart from the fewer donors, the cost is also another factor that deters people from getting the transplant.
After one year from the surgery, people who receive liver transplantation have an 85% survival rate.
While selecting the liver transplantation hospital in India, few factors to consider. The hospital must be fully equipped to perform the surgery with the relevant equipment and specialists. If the liver transplant program in the hospital is government-approved, you can get the procedure done at the lower government recommended cost.
Kauvery Hospital has a liver transplant program that the government has approved. We have been striving to make the procedures like liver transplantation affordable for all classes of people.
Though there have been significant advancements in the health sector, prevention is always the best cure that remains relevant. In Kauvery Hospital, we have been focusing on creating awareness among the people to maintain a healthy liver lifestyle and actively finding ways to find the disease early.
A boon for patients with end stage liver disease. Kauvery Liver Transplant Centre offers affordable liver transplant surgeries.
Check out this video by Dr. Ilango, Lead Surgeon Transplant and Liver Surgery talking about how liver transplants are a boon for patients with end stage liver disease.
Thanks doctor for sharing this information.
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