Liver Transplantation In India

What Is A Liver Transplant?

The liver is one of the most vital organs of the human body. Proper liver function is required to
sustain a healthy life. In liver diseases, the capacity of the liver cell gets reduced. Most of the
diseases can be treated by non-invasive treatment methods while some diseases require
surgery. Liver transplant is the last option when all the other treatment options do not provide
adequate relief from the symptoms of the patient. Liver transplant is a surgical procedure of
replacing a damaged lived with a healthy liver. People whose liver fails to perform the
physiological functions require a liver transplant. It is also to be noted that the liver has the
capacity to regenerate itself shortly after the surgery. This unique characteristic has made
the living donor liver transplant as an alternative to deceased donor liver transplantation.

Which Patients Require Liver Transplant?

Liver transplant is the last resort for the people suffering from end-stage irreversible damage to
the liver. There are various causes of liver failure. These include Hepatocellular
CarcinomaCirrhosis, Cryptogenic Cirrhosis, Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, Primary Sclerosing
Cholangitis, Wilson’s Disease, Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), Acute Liver Failure,
Primary Hemochromatosis, Hepatitis B & C, Budd- Chiari Syndrome, Primary Sclerosing
Cholangitis, Alcoholic Cirrhosis, and Autoimmune Hepatitis. Before transplanting the liver to
such patients, comprehensive health evaluation is done.

What Are The Risks With Liver Transplant?

The risk associated with liver surgery can be divided into two parts. The first part comprises of
the risk due to liver transplantation surgery itself while the other part includes the risk and
side effects due to potent medications.
The risk associated with liver transplant surgery: These risks include:
• Bile duct leakage
• Bleeding during surgery
• Blood clotting
• Liver rejection
• Donated liver failure
• Infection
• Nervous system complications such as seizures

Side effects of medications: Potent anti-rejection medications are administered to the patient
to avoid the risk of rejection. These medications have side effects such as:
• Hypertension
• Dyslipidaemia
• Increase serum glucose level
• Diarrhea
• Thinning of bones
• Headache

What Is A Rejection Of Liver?

Various cells in the body protect us from external pathogens and other substances. These cells
are known as immune cells and form a systematic and organized immune system. These
immune cells spare our body cells as they are able to identify them through a specific
mechanism. However, these immune cells also identify any foreign cell and start the immune
reaction in order to damage those cells.
The liver which is transplanted is a foreign organ comprising of foreign cells. The immune
system of recipient initiates an immune reaction against the transplanted liver. If the liver gets
damaged by the immune system, it is known as a rejection of the liver. In order to avoid this
rejection, various anti-rejection medications are administered to the patient.

What Is The Success Rate Of Liver Transplant?

With the advancement of technology and new and potent anti-rejection medications,
the success rate of a liver transplant is drastically improved in recent years. The survival rate
of liver transplant varies from patient to patient and depends upon the other health conditions
along with liver failure. Age also plays a major role in liver transplant success.
In a general sense, the immediate rate of success of liver transplant is between 90-95%. For
five-year survival is around 75%. This implies that almost 75% of the patients who have
undergone liver transplant are able to survive for more than 5 years.
It is also to be noted that patients getting the liver from a live donor have more chances of
survival as compared to a patient who gets a liver from a deceased donor.