Get Leading Liver Transplant at Apollo Hospitals Chennai. The top choice for Bangladeshi patients seeking premier medical care.
Liver transplant is a life-saving surgical procedure that involves replacing a diseased or damaged liver with a healthy liver from a deceased or living donor. It is considered the ultimate treatment option for patients with:
In this article, we will provide a comprehensive overview of liver transplant at Apollo Hospitals Chennai, including how it is done, when it is needed, and the cost associated with the procedure.
The liver transplant team at Apollo Hospitals Chennai is a multidisciplinary team of highly skilled and experienced professionals. The team includes:
Apollo Hospitals also have Translators, Dedicated and Trained Nursing Staff, Helplines and Unit Managers to take care of the treatment needs and requirements of the patients.
Liver transplant is a complex surgical procedure that involves the removal of a diseased liver and its replacement with a healthy liver.
The liver is a vital organ that performs numerous essential functions in the body, including:
When the liver becomes severely damaged or fails to function properly, a liver transplant may be necessary to save the patient’s life.
There are three main types of liver transplant:
Deceased donor transplant involves the transplantation of a liver from a deceased individual who has chosen to donate their organs.
Living donor transplant involves the removal of a portion of a healthy liver from a living donor, usually a family member or close friend, and its transplantation into the recipient.
Split liver transplant is a procedure in which a single donated liver is divided into two parts, allowing it to be transplanted into two different recipients.
Apollo Hospitals has completed over 500 liver transplants in a short time span with a success rate of over 90 percent.
The first successful pediatric liver transplant and adult cadaveric transplant at Apollo Hospitals was performed in 1998.
Liver transplant is generally considered when a patient’s liver function has significantly deteriorated, and other treatment options have been exhausted.
The necessity for a liver transplant arises from various causes, with cirrhosis being the most common in adults. Cirrhosis, a condition characterized by the gradual deterioration and malfunction of the liver due to chronic injury, can be caused by factors such as hepatitis B and C, alcohol abuse, autoimmune liver diseases, fat accumulation in the liver, and hereditary liver diseases.
In children, the most common reason is biliary atresia, a rare condition in newborns where the common bile duct between the liver and the small intestine is blocked or absent. Other reasons include liver cancer, benign liver tumors, and hereditary diseases.
Some common signs and symptoms that may indicate the need for a liver transplant include :
To determine the need for a liver transplant, a thorough diagnostic process is conducted. This may involve blood tests to assess liver function, such as liver enzyme levels, bilirubin levels, and blood clotting factors. Imaging studies, such as ultrasound, CT scans, or MRI scans, may be performed to visualize the liver and assess its structure and function. In some cases, a liver biopsy may be necessary to obtain a small sample of liver tissue for further examination.
In addition to the clinical signs and diagnostic tests, the patient’s overall health status and their MELD score play a crucial role in determining the need for a liver transplant. The MELD score is calculated based on the patient’s laboratory values and provides an objective measure of the severity of liver disease. Patients with higher MELD scores have a greater urgency for a liver transplant.
Liver transplant is a complex and intricate procedure that requires careful planning, preparation, and coordination among a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals. The process can be divided into three main stages:
Apollo Institutes of Transplant has performed more than 3200 liver transplants in patients from over 50 countries. This highlights their global reach and reputation as a leading center for liver transplantation.
Prior to the transplant, the recipient undergoes a series of medical evaluations and tests to assess their overall health, determine the severity of their liver disease, and identify any potential complications. These evaluations may include blood tests, imaging studies, such as CT scans and MRI scans, and a liver biopsy. The medical team also evaluates the patient’s suitability for a liver transplant based on various factors, including their MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) score, which is a numerical measurement of the severity of liver disease.
Once the patient is deemed suitable for a liver transplant, they are placed on the waiting list for a suitable donor liver.
The waiting time for a new liver is unpredictable as patients are listed according to blood type, body size, and medical condition. The MELD (model of end stage liver disease) score in adults and PELD (pediatric end stage liver disease) in children are used to prioritize patients for transplantation.
The actual transplant procedure is performed under general anesthesia. The surgeon makes an incision in the abdomen to access the liver and carefully removes the diseased liver. The healthy donor liver is then implanted and connected to the recipient’s blood vessels and bile ducts. Liver Transplant Surgery usually takes between 4 to 14 hours.
After the transplant, the patient is closely monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU) for a period of time to ensure that the new liver is functioning properly and to manage any potential complications. They are given immunosuppressant medications to prevent rejection of the new liver by the body’s immune system. The patient will require regular follow-up appointments and medical monitoring for an extended period of time to ensure the long-term success of the transplant. The average hospital stay after liver transplant is two weeks to three weeks.
Two of the most common complications following liver transplant are rejection and infection.
Immunosuppressant drugs are given to ward off the immune attack and prevent rejection of the new liver. These drugs must be taken exactly as prescribed for the rest of the patient’s life.
Apollo Hospitals is the only multi-organ transplant program in Asia to have successfully performed more than 21,000 solid organ transplants including kidney, liver, heart, pancreas, small bowel, combined kidney+pancreas, kidney+liver, heart/lung, single-lung, double-lung and multiple-organ transplants.
Liver transplant is legal in India but is bound by certain clauses to prevent commercial use of organs. The Transplantation of Human Organs Act (Act No.42, 1994) regulates the removal, storage, and transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and prevents commercial dealings in human organs.
The cost of liver transplant can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the country where the procedure is performed, the specific hospital and medical team involved, the complexity of the case, and the patient’s individual requirements.
Factors affecting the cost of liver transplant:
Apollo Hospitals Chennai is equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and cutting-edge technology, making it a leading choice for liver transplants. The hospital boasts of:
Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, the flagship hospital of the Apollo Group, was established in 1983 and is the first hospital in India to receive the ISO 9001:2000 certification and has also been awarded the best multi-specialty hospital in Chennai by the Times Health Survey.
A surgical procedure to replace a damaged liver with a healthy one.
The diseased liver is removed and replaced with a healthy liver from a donor.
It is needed when the liver is severely damaged or fails to function properly.
The cost varies, but it starts from INR 30 lakhs at Apollo Chennai.
Contact the PM Fund office or visit their website for application details.
Financial assistance options like insurance or crowdfunding can be explored.