50-60% of liver transplant patients in India are from foreign countries

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50-60% of liver transplant patients in India are from foreign countries

India is emerging as a global hub for liver transplant with expanded medical facilities, an expert said here Friday. ‘Around 50-60 percent of live transplant patients are from foreign countries,’ said Vivek Vij, director, Liver Transplant Programme in Fortis Hospital here. ‘The reason India has emerged as a hub for liver transplant is because of the poor medical facilities in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Cambodia and other African nations,’ he added. (Read: Breakthrough which can prevent liver transplants in chronic liver diseases)
 
Vij was speaking on the occasion of Fortis Hospital becoming the first hospital in Uttar Pradesh to perform 100 liver transplants. ‘Since the inception of the hospital in 2012, Fortis Noida has recorded a 100 percent donor and 97 percent recipient survival rate, surpassing the international standards for safety and establishing the hospital as a coveted centre for liver transplant.’ (Read: Why is the liver so important?)

He said the hospital has also initiated a lot of campaigns and drives to raise awareness about liver-related diseases.

 Dr Vinay Kumaran, Head of the Liver Transplantation and Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai tells us all about liver transplants.

Who needs a liver transplant? Why?

A liver transplant is most commonly required by patients whose liver is failing due to cirrhosis or due to acute liver failure. Some patients with liver cancer are also candidates for liver transplant. Cancer often develops in those who have cirrhosis already and extensive surgery to remove the tumour is not possible in such cases. There are rarer indications like some genetic diseases as well. (Read: Top 6 natural remedies to keep your liver healthy)

Are there many cases where a transplant cannot be done even if a patient needs one?

A transplant cannot be done unless there is a donor. In most cases there is a living donor from the family who volunteers to undergo and operation to remove part of the liver which is transplanted into the patient. Occasionally, the family of a brain dead patient agrees to donate the organs but this is quite rare. (Read: Hundreds die in India for lack of organs)

Who can donate? How does one ‘find’ a suitable donor?

For living donor liver transplant, the donor is a family member whose blood group is compatible with the patient. The donor must be 18 to 60 years of age. Other tests are required to determine that the liver is not fatty and that the anatomy and size of the liver are suitable for donation and that the donor is fit to undergo the operation. (Read: Liver transplants: Frequently Asked Questions answered by a renowned liver transplant surgeon)