Is your parent going for a liver transplant? Use these tips to ease them through it

Organ transplantation can save lives, especially in cases where the organ is complex, such as the liver. 

When a person’s liver is damaged due to end-stage liver disease (chronic liver failure), they need a liver transplant. This is a major, life-threatening liver illness that can be caused by various disorders in the liver.

Cirrhosis is a common cause of end-stage liver disease, and it necessitates liver transplantation in many patients. The diseased liver is replaced with a healthy liver from another person, referred to as the donor. In this procedure,  complete liver or a portion of the liver can be replaced depending on the situation.

The liver is responsible for filtering blood and removing toxins from the body. Therefore, it is well recognized that having a healthy liver is necessary for longevity. It is also critical to provide the best possible care to someone who is having a liver transplant. Don’t panic if one of your parents has to consider a liver transplant; we have got you covered.

Dr. Gaurav Gupta is one of the finest surgeons, specializing in liver and pancreas transplants. He has over 500 liver transplant surgeries to his credit with an excellent success rate.

With a career spanning over a decade and a half, be rest assured that your parent is in the care of excellent hands and a brilliant surgeon.

Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind if your parent is undergoing a liver transplant:

1 . Maintain a positive attitude:

Since your parent has to undergo a transplant, you may feel overwhelmed. However, it is preferable to be optimistic and believe that he or she will be alright and return to their regular schedule shortly. Keep a positive attitude for the sake of your parents.

Don’t be pessimistic or overly concerned about potential issues. If your parents notice you are worried, they may become apprehensive, upset, disturbed, annoyed, frustrated, and worried. You should not become stressed or sad, nor should you be concerned about the result of a liver transplant.

 

2. Try to stick to a schedule:

Be organized and give him or her medicine on time. Talk to them about their obstacles and difficulties, and schedule regular check-ups and follow-ups with the doctors. Allowing your parent to skip medication is not a good idea. Instead of ignoring any unusual symptoms, report them to your doctor right away.

Allowing your parent to go out too frequently may put him or her in danger of infection. Make sure your parent is not in the company of sick people. You will also need to keep up with your personal hygiene at home. Make sure your parent stays in a healthy weight range.

3. Assist your parent in recovering from a transplant:

Make the healing process go as smoothly as possible by encouraging your parent to live a healthy lifestyle and assuring him or her that you will look after him or her. When it comes to your parent’s health, you should ALWAYS be proactive. If necessary, seek the assistance of a support group to educate yourself and learn about the experiences of others.

4. Look after yourself:

Caring for a sick person can be exhausting, and you may find yourself emotionally and physically exhausted. You must take frequent breaks and spend some ME time for yourself. If necessary, take the assistance of your friends and other family members. It will undoubtedly make a difference if you do so.

Organ donation can save many lives. One liver can save two lives. This is called split organ donation, where the liver from one dead donor is taken and split into two parts to donate to two people.

 

Since the liver is an organ that can regenerate, two recipients are given a transplant from one donor.

You and others close to you would have experienced what it is like to hang in there while waiting for an organ from a donor. We take this opportunity to urge you and others close to you and the readers to volunteer for organ donation. Remember, one life can save many.

Someone somewhere is waiting for the gift of life.

How Does Alcohol Impact Liver Health?

The liver’s principal role is to filter toxins from the digestive tract into the bloodstream. It also creates bile, which is used by the body to digest food.

On the other hand, the liver has difficulty processing high amounts of alcohol in the body. A person who drinks more than two drinks each day puts their liver under a lot of stress and is at a higher risk of getting liver disease.

If someone you know drinks too much alcohol and has health problems, you should take them to an experienced liver specialist in Mumbai like Dr. Gaurav Gupta to receive the most-effective treatment.

Dr. Gaurav Gupta is an expert liver transplant doctor in Mumbai with 15+ years of experience. He is skilled in performing liver transplants, HPB surgeries, pediatric liver transplants, and pancreas transplants.

To know more about the impact of alcohol on the liver and treatments for alcoholic liver disease, take a look at this article.

First, let’s know,

What happens when a person consumes alcoholic beverages?

Alcohol Impact Liver Health

Did you know that one sort of alcoholic drink takes the liver an hour to process? As a result, the more you drink, the longer your liver will take to digest the alcohol.

When your body has too much alcohol in it, it puts a burden on your liver cells and damages them. Fatty liver, also known as fibrosis, is a disorder that develops over time. Even it can cause cirrhosis or severe liver damage.

 

Let’s take a look at,

Symptoms of Liver Disease

You may experience the following symptoms if you have liver disease:

  • Dark-colored urine.
  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Discolored stools.
  • Yellowish appearance of eyes and skin.
  • Swelling in the abdomen.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Swelling in the legs and ankles.
  • Low appetite.
  • Weakness.

If you have any of these symptoms, you should consult a proficient liver specialist in Mumbai to see if you have any liver problems.

Now, let’s discuss about,

Types of Alcoholic Liver Disease

  • The most frequent type of liver disease is fatty liver, which affects hefty drinkers. A person with this condition accumulates fat in their liver. If the person does not drink alcohol, the condition can be reversed.
  • Some patients with fatty liver may also experience mild liver inflammation. Alcoholic hepatitis is another name for this illness.
  • A condition known as acute alcoholic hepatitis is a life-threatening condition. Symptoms such as stomach pain, loss of appetite, and yellow-coloured skin are possible. In the long run, it could lead to liver failure.
  • A heavy drinker may develop cirrhosis or scarring of the liver. This illness has a build-up of scar tissue in the liver, preventing the liver from functioning correctly. It may eventually result in liver failure. Loss of appetite, blood vomiting, and abdominal swelling are some of the signs and symptoms.

Treatment for Alcoholic Liver Disease

  • If you have fatty liver disease, you must refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages for at least a fortnight to reverse the condition.
  • If you have a more severe illness, such as alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis, your doctor will advise you to stop drinking.
  • A liver transplant may be the only choice in life-threatening cases of liver disease.

As you can see, drinking too much alcohol is extremely harmful to your liver and can cause major disruptions in your daily routine. If you or your loved one is diagnosed with alcoholic liver illness, consult Dr Gaurav Gupta, one of the leading liver specialists in Mumbai, for a proper diagnosis and treatment.

To evaluate patients and provide the best possible liver treatment regimens, Dr Gupta employs the most current diagnostic procedures. His treatment may increase your chances of complete healing and return to a normal, active lifestyle.

CBD Stones: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment in Mumbai

CBD stone is the presence of a gallstone in the common bile duct. Stones in the gallbladder are called gallstones. The bile duct is a tiny tube connecting the gallbladder to the intestine and transports bile.

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ on the upper right side of your abdomen, underneath your liver. These stones usually stay in the gallbladder or pass through the common bile duct without obstructing bile flow.

Clinically CBD stones are known as choledocholithiasis. If you are experiencing pain in the stomach combined with fever, visit your liver specialist in Mumbai.

Dr. Gaurav Gupta specializes in treating ailments of the liver, pancreas, and other digestive system ailments. He is brilliant at liver transplant surgeries. He and his team work with unmatched diligence and expertise to treat patients.

Symptoms of CBD:

Gall stones in the bile duct may go unnoticed due to a lack of symptoms for months or years. In case they get stuck in the bile duct, you will notice the following symptoms:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Fever
  • Pain in the right or middle upper abdomen
  • Loss of appetite
  • Jaundice
  • Changes in the color of stool.

You may experience pain in intervals or lingering pain. Sometimes the intensity of the pain may be so high; you may mistake it with a cardiac arrest. In such circumstances, seek emergency medical treatment.

When bile cannot pass the duct due to blockage by stone, it gets infected and travels up to the liver. This is a life-threatening scenario. Other infections that can occur are pancreatitis and biliary cirrhosis.

How or Why are Gallstones formed?

Gallstones are of 2 types:

Cholesterol gall stones: These are most common. They are yellow in color and form due to too much bilirubin, cholesterol, and less bile salt.

If gall bladder juices don’t get adequately emptied regularly, it results in gall bladder stones.

Pigment Stones: People suffering from liver cirrhosis, biliary tract infections, or hereditary blood disorders with too much bile production may come across these stone formations. Actual causes are unknown.

Who is at risk of CBD stone?

If you are suffering from gall bladder stones, you are at risk of CBD as well. In some cases, even after the gall bladder has been surgically extracted, you still stand a chance of CBD stone.

Some factors that increase your risk of gall stones are:

  • Obesity
  • Low fibre intake
  • Continuous fasting
  • Pregnancy
  • Less physical activity
  • Rapid weight loss

To prevent gall stones, make good lifestyle changes. Unavoidable circumstances include:

  • Gender- women are more susceptible
  • Age- the older you are, the higher the chances
  • Family history
  • Place of Origin

How is CBD stone diagnosed?

If you have visited the doctor on noticing the symptoms, the doctor will conduct a physical examination and ask you to undergo some tests listed below:

Blood Tests:

  • Complete blood count
  • Liver function test
  • Bilirubin count
  • Pancreatic enzymes count

Also, imaging tests such as:

  • Abdominal CT scan
  • Transabdominal ultrasound (TUS)
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography
  • Endoscopic ultrasound
  • Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram
  • Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography
Treatment of CBD stone

 

Treatment of CBD stone:

To remove the gall stone blocking the duct, the doctor may use any of the following processes:

  • Stone removal: If they are in size to pass on their own, they will be made to pass.
  • Lithotripsy (breaking the stones): If the stone is large and cannot pass on its own, the surgeon uses either laser technology or shockwaves to break the stone into fragments to help them pass.
  • Cholecystectomy, removing the gall bladder and the stones. The surgeon carries a surgery to remove the gall bladder and at the same time extract stones from the bile duct.
  • Sphincterotomy, removing the stone by making an incision in the bile duct.
  • Stenting the bile duct: The surgeon inserts a stent using an endoscope to help the stone pass. In the future also if the stone is recurring, then the stent will avoid blockage.

Preventing Gall Stone Formation:

There are chances of recurrence. The doctors recommend specific lifestyle changes with a moderate exercise routine, and fibre intake can help in preventing stones formation.

Be watchful of your health and symptoms. Take timely action by visiting a doctor to avoid severe complications.