Transforming Lives with Multidisciplinary Liver Transplant Care at Jehangir Hospital

PNN

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], June 21: Many patients in India undergo liver transplant yearly, and approximately over thousands of people are added to the donor waitlist as per a recent survey. Almost all (95%) liver transplants are whole livers that are secured from deceased donors. Partial transplants from living donors, on the other hand, are also on the rise. Jehangir Hospital, Pune is one of the hospitals that is currently approved for liver transplantation and has performed numerous successful operations.

A liver transplant at Jehangir Hospital is typically performed in four stages: pre-transplant evaluation, donor search, surgery, and lastly post-surgical care.

1.Pre-transplant evaluation: Prior to a liver transplant, patients undergo a comprehensive evaluation involving blood tests and imaging. It takes 3-7 days based on their condition. The evaluation assesses liver disease extent and other medical conditions. After the transplant team confirms the decision, coordinators guide the patient and their families. Psychological counselling covers consent, surgery, post-surgery complications, hospital stay, and care.

2.Donor identification: The next stage is to identify a suitable donor for the transplant. Liver transplants require suitable donors, either deceased or living. Deceased donors come from brain-dead individuals, and their organs are donated before discontinuing life support due to irreversible brain injury. Allocation depends on the waiting list, blood group compatibility, and urgency. Waiting times are unpredictable. Living donors, typically close relatives, can donate half of their liver, which regenerates in both donor and recipient. Donors must be willing, aged 18-55, with normal liver function and matching blood group.

3. Surgery: The transplant involves a major operation to remove the diseased liver & replace it with a normal donor liver in its usual position. The surgery is very demanding & can take between 6-18 hours to complete.

4. Post-operative care: After the transplant, the living donor stays in the hospital for 1-2 weeks and requires 3-4 weeks of home recuperation. The recipient is closely monitored in the intensive care unit. To prevent organ rejection, immunosuppressant medication is administered. After discharge, the patient follows up weekly for the first 3 months, with regular medical check-ups and tests to monitor their health.

Jehangir Hospital leads in liver transplants with cutting-edge technology, ensuring quality and safety. Innovative techniques for donor identification, organ preservation, and transplantation result in successful procedures with minimal complications. These advancements make liver transplants safer, more efficient, and more accessible, saving countless lives.

Dr Parimal Lawate, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Director-Dept.of Gastroenterology, Jehangir Hospital says, "The Jehangir Hospital Liver Transplant programme has a very qualified and competent team of experts to look after the needs of patients with liver diseases. Patients with liver problems can approach our team for any liver-related issues with transplant-related and non-transplant liver conditions to have a definitive treatment and cure for their liver problems."

Vrinda Pusalkar, MSW and Transplant Coordinator at Jehangir Hospital added, "No human organ can be manufactured in a factory, hence there needs to be a donor to donate it for an end-stage organ disease patient. Donors are of two types - Live Donor and Deceased Donor. In case of live donor, he/she needs to be from the immediate family of the recipient, who is medically fit and willing for organ donation. After completing the thorough medical workup and required legal formalities such transplant can take place."

Dr Archana Jana, senior consultant anaesthesiologist at Jehangir Hospital says, "Anaesthesia for liver transplant is complex and demanding, and at Jehangir Hospital we have an experienced team of anaesthesiologists to make it streamlined and safer. We have a qualified and dedicated team of doctors working together on every aspect of liver transplant. This conjoined teamwork surely is beneficial to our patients undergoing liver transplant or any other liver-related treatment."

According to Dr Ninad Deshmukh, Consultant and Transplant Surgeon at Jehangir Hospital, "Every liver transplant is an amalgam of skill in the liver, biliary and vascular surgery, as well as advanced support from several other disciplines. Our Experts in liver and biliary surgery, adult and paediatric hepatology, hepatobiliary and transplant anaesthesia, and critical care, diagnostic and interventional radiology come together under one roof to offer liver transplantation and all treatment for other liver and biliary diseases. The programme is supported by state of the art blood Centre and the transfusion medicine, pathology, and laboratory."

Our goal is affordable, top-quality liver treatment. Our multidisciplinary team of experienced specialists takes a comprehensive approach for each patient, aiming for faster recovery and a return to a healthy life. Jehangir Hospital's Transplant Programme boasts state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge equipment.

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