Liver Transplant

• Liver Transplant Surgery cost in India ranges between USD 38000 to USD 44000.
• Liver transplant surgery requires a hospital stayof approximately 22 days and 40 days outside the hospital.
• Donor can expect to stay for 3-4 days in hospital.
• The tests required are blood tests, Chest X-Ray, Lung Function, ECG, ECHO, Coronary Angiography, Kidney Function Tests, Ultrasound Scan, MRI, CT Scan, Liver Biopsy and Endoscopy.

Treatment Cost

More About Treatment

The liver is located on the right side in the abdomen, performs many vital functions like

• Producing Glucose, Proteins, Blood-clotting factors, and Bile.
• The liver also acts as a storehouse of vitamins and minerals.
• It also acts as a filter, removing impurities and metabolizes and detoxifies substances ingested by the body.

1. Deceased donor transplants

Most livers for transplants come from people who have just died, called deceased donors. Adults typically receive the entire liver from a deceased donor. Sometimes a donated liver may be used for two different recipients. The larger part may go to an adult, and the smaller part may go to a child.

2. Living donor transplants

When a healthy living person donates part of his or her liver, most often to a family member it is called a living donor. During a living donor liver transplant, surgeons remove a part of the living donor’s healthy liver.

Follow thislinkto know more details about Liver Transplantation Surgery.

• Yellowing of the skin or eyes known as Jaundice,

• Itching of skin

• Dark colored urine clay-colored bowel movements

• Ascites i.e collection of fluid in the abdomen

• Bleeding tendency

• Mental confusion, forgetfulness

Liver failureis the reason for a liver transplant, however, it could be acute onset i.e acute or chronic liver failure

Acute liver failure- sudden onset liver failure could be due to

• viral hepatitis,

• drug-induced due to some reaction to pain killers, or prescription medication, herbal medicines

• injury/clots in a vessel supplying blood to the liver

• infection.

Chronic Liver failure- can also be the end result of a long-term problem

• Alcoholic liver disease

• Cancer

• Cirrhosis, fatty liver disease

• Biliary atresia common reason in children

• Autoimmune, genetic disorders

• CT scan of the abdomen: to determine the liver size and to identify any abnormalities, including liver tumors.

• Ultrasound of the liver: a study of the liver and the surrounding organs. Doppler ultrasound determines how well the blood vessels that carry blood to and from the liver are working

• Blood tests: These include liver function tests, clotting factors, routine blood tests, and culture.

Before Procedure

Presurgical studies, including blood tests, urine tests, chest X-rays ultrasound, CT abdomen, ECG etc, are performed, these tests are done to evaluate the severity of the liver disease, Once this is complete patient is accepted as a candidate for liver transplant and put on aWait list for transplant

Pre-transplant tests are performed,The testing makes sure the donor's liver has a good chance of working in body

• Liveris healthy,

• Matches your blood type

• Right size

Donor's livers function best if they are transplanted within 8 hours, although they can be used for up to 24 hours. Before surgery, the patient also receives a dose of steroids to prevent rejection of the new liver-and a dose of antibiotics to prevent infection.

Procedure

Transplantprocess takes approximately 6-8 hours& is performed under general anesthesia.

• An incision is made in the upper part of the abdomen.

• Segregation of important structures (the inferior vena cava above, behind, and below the liver, the portal vein, the common bile duct, the hepatic artery)

• Removal of the natural, diseased liver.

• Placement of the new & healthy liver, which is then reconnected to the bile ducts and blood vessels. Blood will now flow into this new liver.

• Adequate control of bleeding is established.

• Finally closure of the incision

• The liver begins to regenerate itself almost immediately.

After the procedure:

After the transplant is complete patient is moved to anintensive care unit (ICU).

A machine called a ventilator assists the patients breathing, anda tube is inserted through the nose and into the stomach to provide the patient with fluid and nutrients.

Antibiotics are prescribed after the procedure to protect against infections.

Transplant patient with a new liver must take medications for the rest of his life to avoid Rejection syndrome.

Regular follow ups are important for successful transplantation initially weekly and gradually reducing the frequency of testing to ascertain how well the Liver is functioning and early detection of a rejection episode.

• Rejection syndrome, the body's immune system attempts to destroy the newly transplanted liver. Immunosuppressive medications are used to prevent rejection of the transplanted liver but these medications have a general weakening effect on the immune system. This is why transplant patients are more likely to get certain infections.
• Bleeding after surgery, the formation of clots
• Infection – fever
• Jaundice indicating that bile is backing up and not draining from the liver properly.
• Side effects of immunosuppressant medicines like bone-thinning osteoporosis and bone damage (osteonecrosis ), increased risk of infections esp skin cancer, edema, and weight gain .

Liver Transplant cost in India depends on a variety of factors like

• Room –Standard single room, deluxe room, super deluxe room for the number of nights specified (including nursing fee, meals, room rate, and room service). Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Jaslok Hospital Mumbai, Max Super Specialty Hospital come under top 10 liver transplant hospitals that offer low-cost liver transplant. These hospitals are well-known for the liver transplant procedure, liver cirrhosis treatment, treating acute liver failure, chronic liver failure, alcoholic liver disease, end-stage liver disease, and pediatric liver transplant.

• Fee for the team of doctors and OT charges. Dr. Sanjay Singh Negi is a qualified, bestLiver Transplant surgeon who performed his 100th successful liver transplant surgery in 2017.

• cost of medications

• Standard tests and diagnostic procedures.

• Cost of the follow –up care and immunosuppressive medications required after the procedure

• The hospital, the patient chooses.

FAQs

For how long does the liver transplant surgery take?

The proceduretakes between 6-10hours of time duration or more depending on complexity. Clickhereto know more.

When is a liver transplant necessary?

Liver transplantation is a final treatment option for patients withend-stage liver disease and acute liver failure. Such health conditions require a liver transplant whether live donor liver transplant or a deceased one.

Bile production early after the surgery is a good sign and is one of the indicators that liver transplant is being accepted by the patient's body.

What do you mean by living donor transplant?

In a living donor transplant, a healthy person donates part of his or her liver to the recipient. It is usually a family member or a close relative leading to avoidance of long waiting times due to a shortage of liver donors.

What are the types of Rejection syndrome?

Types of Rejection :

• Immediate or Hyperacute rejectionoccurs just after surgery, when the body immediately recognizes the liver as foreign and attempts to destroy it.

• Acute rejectionusually occurs in the first two months after transplant and is usually treatable with medication.

• Delayed, or chronic rejectioncan occur years after surgery

What are the contradictions for liver transplant ?

Some contradictions for liver transplant include:

• Advanced age,

• Serious heart or lung disease.

• Metastatic cancer outside of the liver

• Active drug or alcohol abuse, and

• Active systemic infections

• HIV infection

What is orthotopic transplantation ?

Orthotopic transplantation is one in which the diseased organ is removed and replaced by the donor organ in the same anatomic position as the original .

What are Anti -rejection medications ?

Medicines which slow or suppress the immune system to prevent it from rejecting the new liver also known as immunosuppressant’s or anti rejection medications .

When can I be discharged from the hospital after a liver transplant?

After liver transplant surgery, the patient is shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) andthe average stay in hospital may be 2 to 3 weeks, it may take longer depending on any complications if arise.

What is the generally the recovery period after liver transplant procedure ?

The recovery time for donors is about two months and for recipients is about six to 12 months. The liver begins to regenerate itself almost immediately.

What is prognosis after a liver transplant?

A transplanted liver will function for five years or more in 75 percent of recipients. Survival rates are increasing with the use of better immunosuppressive medications.