Pediatric Liver Transplant in Mumbai

What is a liver transplant procedure?

A liver transplant is a surgery that replaces a diseased or a damaged liver with a healthy liver of another individual. The new liver can be from a deceased donor or a part of a liver of a healthy living donor. The living donor is generally a family member with a matching blood group. Part of the liver is taken from a living donor and transplanted into the recipient. As the liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself, the recipient of the liver and the donor can expect their livers to grow normally in a few weeks.

Why and when is a pediatric liver transplant suggested?

A pediatric liver transplant is suggested if the child is suffering from liver failure and is likely to lose his or her life. Liver diseases and conditions such as – liver cancer, biliary atresia in newborn babies, sudden or acute liver failure due to an autoimmune disease, Wilsons Disease, an overload of medicines, hemochromatosis (excess iron in the body), and alpha-1 anti-trypsin and other metabolic and genetic diseases like PFIC can damage the liver severely leading to liver failure. Pediatricians and liver specialists recommend liver transplants in such babies to survive and live a normal, healthy life.

Dr. Gaurav Gupta, one of Mumbai’s leading liver transplant surgeons, suggests that a pediatric liver transplant can help the child recover and live a normal life provided prescribed medicines are taken, and precautions are followed. The doctor is an expert in Living donor Liver Transplant, Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy, and Pancreas Transplant.

Risks associated with Pediatric liver transplant surgery:

Like any other organ transplant surgery, pediatric liver transplant surgery has its share of risk and complications, which are

• The body’s immune system can reject the new liver
• Leakage of bile or blocked bile ducts
• The liver may not function temporarily after the surgery
• Infection and bleeding
• The new liver is likely to face blockage of blood vessels.

Patient evaluation and suitability

The liver transplant surgeon will physically examine the child and assess the child’s suitability through various tests such as CT scans, ultrasounds, blood tests, and dental examinations. At the same time, these results will help put the child on the waitlist for liver transplant surgery. Also, a psychological evaluation of the family will be carried out.

Liver transplant surgery is not recommended if the child is suffering from

• Uncontrollable sepsis
• Cancer which has spread across the body
• Cardiac and related issues
• Other complicated health condition that could worsen after the transplant

During Pediatric liver transplant surgery:

After donor workup, suitability of donor is established. There will be yet another round of diagnostic tests to ensure the blood match between the donor and the recipient.

The pediatric liver transplant surgery is relatively long and is performed by a team of specialist doctors. The team will update the family members on the progress of the transplant at regular intervals.

The child will be shifted to the ICU room for monitoring after the surgery, only to be discharged after a couple of weeks.

Dealing with body’s rejection to the new Liver:

This rejection is normal and well anticipated by the treating liver transplant surgeon. The body’s immune system considers the new liver part as a foreign body. But to avoid that, the child is prescribed anti-rejection medicines, which are also known as immunosuppressants. Also, the child will have to take immunosuppressants for life.

Risk of Infection:

A child with liver transplant surgery is always at risk of contracting infections, especially after the surgery. Doctors recommend avoiding visiting crowded places or getting in touch with an infected person, as high doses of immunosuppressants are prescribed at that time.

The child is at a high risk of contracting infections such as herpes, Thrush or oral yeast infection, respiratory virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, to name the main ones. Hence a child is vaccinated prior to undergoing a transplant. Most of the infection risk happens in the first 3 months.

Life after liver transplant

The child has to take immunosuppressants so that the new liver stays healthy and is not attacked by the body’s immune system. Other than small pills, a child will live an absolutely normal life. They will have normal growth and attend school and play with other children just like any normal child of his age. These children have essentially normal life with a healthy liver. As the child grows older, they have to be more aware of how to stay away from infections, symptoms of rejection, and stay healthy.

For critical procedures like these, cases are recommended Transplant in Mumbai as the megacity is equipped with expert surgeons and world- class structure.