After Effects of a Liver Transplant Surgery

With great advancements in medical science, liver transplant surgery has become very accessible for needy patients. It takes no more than 8 hours for the operation, allowing the person to enjoy prolonged wellness and healthy lifespan. Like any other medical surgery, recovering from a liver transplant takes time and extensive care for patients to return to their normal routines. During the recovery period, most of the patients can resume their daily activities after a week-break while complete recovery may take little over a period of 6-8 months.

After the surgery, the patient needs to regularly visit his surgeon for liver and kidney checkup in order to mitigate the risk of post-surgery complication along with the level of immunosuppressant in the bloodstream. The medical community of liver transplant surgeon in India encourages taking up a healthy lifestyle for a fast and better internal recovery. Regular follow-up visits will allow the surgeon to diagnose the patient for certain risks or symptoms that may show up after the surgical treatment.

One of the major risk following liver transplant may come as the rejection of the body for the newly introduced organ. The immune system may treat the new liver as foreign and attack it for defending the body. Due to this risk, the patient will need to take immunosuppressant that adds up in the cost of liver transplant. Immunosuppressant prevents the immune system to attack the liver and ensure optimal working. Immunosuppressant, if not taken in controlled doses, can stress the liver resulting in various side effects. Some of the common side effects that develop due to prolonged use of these drugs include headaches, mood swing, muscle weakness, the risk of infections, and kidney failure. While the side effects may seem very disturbing, medication are still vital to prevent liver rejection. You can consult more with Dr. Vivek Vij, who is one of the best liver transplant surgeon in India, known for his expertise in liver transplantation and hepatobiliary Sciences. The patients are generally advised not to drive for few weeks after the transplant procedure. The medication affects the patient’s sight and reflexes, making it difficult for him to drive properly. With a good preventive routine, an individual can resume his work after 10-12 weeks. To remain assured of his liver health the person must give up alcohol and smoking and incline more towards a healthy diet and lifestyle. The patient may still need to continue with the immunosuppressant medications to avoid the risk of liver rejection in the laterr phase.

What to expect after living donor surgery?

 

Liver transplant is a critical surgical procedure where a damaged liver is replaced by a healthy liver. People suffering from acute failures are recommended a liver transplant surgery for a speedy recovery and a comfortable survival. There are two types of donor, deceased and living donor. The living-donor liver transplant involves, translating a portion of a liver from living donor to the recipient through a surgical procedure. Anyone from your family member can become a donor, depending upon his/her medical history. The duration of recovery for a donor involves three phrases evaluation, transplant surgery and post surgery. Let’s talk about major  points to be considered if you are a donor or going to become one.

Evaluation process

Both living donor and recipient need to undergo health and psychological evaluation at a transplant centre. The process involves physical exams of both the participants; include discussions related to potential benefits and risks of surgery and crucial factors. Liver transplant is a safe procedure although donating a portion of liver carries significant risks. Therefore, doctors always keep donor in loop the whole time.  To find a suitable donor for the recipient, a doctor will ask about his/her medical history involves drinking habits, chronic diseases and other conditions which are considered harmful for your liver. Often times, donors get disqualified in the process as they are not a suitable match for the recipient.

During surgery

On the day of surgery, doctors first operate on donor and remove a portion from donor’s liver. The surgery requires general anaesthesia and a large abdominal incision. The duration of surgery is approx four-six hours. It is advisable to follow the instructions given by team for a speedy healing.  All surgical procedures leave a scar on the body, don’t worry follow the instructions and keep on with your life. Dr. Vivek is the youngest liver transplant doctor in India, Fortis hospital with 100% success rate.

Post surgery

Liver donors are able to live an independent life after the surgery. You need to visit the centre first weeks, three months or for a year as instructed by your doctors. Liver donors can keep on with their daily tasks while recovering at home, like getting dressed, and be doing other simple daily activities. Don’t worries you will get back to normal life and don’t forget to keep in touch with your doctor during the recovery process. Ailbs offers the lowest cost of liver transplant in India with 100% success rate.

How to find the Right Liver Donor for Transplant Surgery?

A patient with end term hepatic illness, whose liver has been damaged to an extent where the condition cannot be treated, is suggested to undergo Liver Transplant Surgery. Liver transplantation involves the removal of a segment of a donor’s healthy liver and the replacement of the recipient’s damaged liver with the same. The urgency of a transplant surgery solely depends upon the severity of the patient’s disease.

There are two types of donors, living donors and cadaveric donors. Based upon the evaluation of urgency, a patient is listed on the cadaveric donation list. However, in case of living donor, finding the correct liver donor may be a hassle. Dr. Vivek Vij, a renowned Liver Surgeon with the highest success rate (100% donor success rate) of liver transplant success rate in India, states that it is mandatory to match the blood group of donor and recipient before the transplant surgery so as to avoid acute rejection of the transplanted organ, which can even cause death.

While looking for a living donor, it must be scrutinized that the donor is not under any financial or emotional pressure to donate his organ, and agrees out of sheer willingness. Dr. Vivek Vij, the top liver surgeon, Member of International Liver Transplant Society (ILTS), Chicago with the highest Cost of Liver Transplant in India, states that a complete health checkup of the donor is mandatory. It is to be ensured that the donor is capable of recovery post surgery, and there will be least complications possible. The hepatic health and lifestyle of a potential donor are also scrutinized well before the surgery. A donor cannot be alcoholic, pregnant, obese, smoker or suffering from any psychiatric illness.

Meeting the basic medical requirements is necessary to ensure the well being of both, donor and the recipient. Finding the right Liver Donor for a Transplant Surgery is a long process, however, living donor requires comparatively lesser time.

Acute Liver Failure: Symptoms and Prevention

Fulminant Hepatic Failure, commonly known as acute liver failure, is a catastrophic hepatic condition in which the liver fails to function, without any previously occurred liver illness. The primary manifestation of acute liver failure is Hepatitis A, B, or E virus. Loss of 70-80% of the liver cells, making the liver unable to function causes acute liver failure. Liver diseases rapidly progress, showing mild symptoms initially. But, ignorance of the same can cause the liver to collapse. Without any history of hepatic illness, a person can experience an acute liver failure. Patients who have less chances of survival, often have to be treated by a liver transplant.

According to Dr. Vivek Vij, who has the highest success rate of liver transplant in Delhi, patients experience mild symptoms before the liver collapses, these may include yellowing of skin and eyes, discomfort in the upper right abdomen, fatigue, nausea, malaise, dark colored urine, and vomiting. The life threatening disease can develop rapidly in a healthy person. It occurs when the liver cells are damaged beyond recovery, because of which the liver fails to function. The causes of Acute Liver Failure may include progression of Hepatitis A, B, and E infections in the body, cancer, vascular diseases, metabolic illness like Wilson’s disease, toxins etc. Several cases of acute liver failure do not have an apparent cause.

Acute liver disease can be fatal, and therefore necessary preventive measures must be taken by people. Risk of acute liver failure can be reduced by moderating alcohol consumption, consuming a balanced diet, exercising regularly to avoid obesity, getting vaccinated against hepatitis A, B, and E, maintaining personal hygiene, avoiding polygamous sexual contacts, using protection during sexual intercourse, ensuring clean environment while getting a tattoo or piercing, and not sharing needles, razors, toothbrush etc. Dr. Vivek Vij, who has the highest success rate of liver transplant in India suggest that preventive measures must be taken because majority of liver illnesses progress rapidly into an unrecoverable condition, which can only be treated by a liver transplant surgery.

It is important that a person regularly consults their doctor even upon facing the mildest symptoms since they can be warning sign of development of a serious hepatic condition. The risk of acute liver failure can only be reduced by keeping you liver healthy.

Fatty Liver (Hepatic Steatosis)

Steatosis, commonly known as Fatty Liver, is condition in which the fats accumulate in the liver. The degeneration of fats is reduced since the liver is unable to process them.  This results in the buildup of fats in the liver cells. Fatty liver is a reversing condition, it can be treated by changed behaviours in diet and routine. But, it is important that a person consults a doctor in this case, since steatosis can develop into cirrhosis, whose end stage is organ failure.

The onset stage can progress quickly and cause the scarring of tissues and replacement of the same by fibroids, or the end stage in which the liver fails to function. If precautions aren’t taken on time, the disease, as harmless it may seem, may progress to a fatal one,  as stated by Dr. Vivek Vij, having conducted more than 2500 cumulative top 5 liver transplant hospitals in Delhi.

The dietary therapy for reversing the condition depends solely upon the cause of this disease. Cost of liver transplant in India, top liver transplant surgeon of India, different forms of fatty liver need to be treated differently, as mentioned below:

1. Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

This type of fatty liver is the outcome of alcohol abuse. Liver enzymes can only metabolize a certain amount of alcohol, therefore the excessive consumption of alcohol regularly, can lead to the inability of the organ to process fats. This is the onset stage of Liver Cirrhosis, which can often prove fatal. A patient must ensure to monitor their diet and behavior in this stage only, to avoid the steatosis to develop into cirrhosis. The following care must be taken by the patient to reverse this condition-

• Abstinence from alcohol
• Exercising regularly
• Adequate supply of energy

2. Non-Alcoholic Liver Fatty Disease

Whilst alcohol is the major reason behind steatosis, there are factors other than alcohol that often cause the accumulation of fats in the liver. The difficulty in breaking down fats can be because of obesity, high consumption of fats, high blood sugar etc. A patient must ensure of the following to reverse the disease-

• Weight reduction
• Minimum intake of high sugar
• Avoidance of fats
• Maintained blood sugar regulation
• Exercising regularly

It is widely suggested by doctors that a patient makes sure that fatty liver does not develop into a rather harming disease, it is important that a patient consults their doctor regularly during this stage only.