A liver transplant is a surgical procedure that removes a liver not functioning optimally and replaces it with a healthy liver. The donor’s liver comes from a deceased person or a portion of the healthy liver of a living person. The liver is the biggest organ and conducts numerous critical functions.
These include processing hormones, medications, and nutrients and producing bile that helps the human body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, cholesterol, and fats.
It can also make proteins, which help the blood clot and eliminate toxins and bacteria from the blood. Furthermore, it prevents infection and regulates the immune response.
Liver Transplant: Things to Know!
Liver transplants are the final treatment option for individuals suffering from complications of end-stage chronic liver disease. This surgical procedure is also the best option for rare cases with a sudden failure of a healthy liver.
Experts say that the number of patients waiting for a liver transplant is more than that of deceased-donor livers. But now, people can receive a healthy liver from a living donor. It is an alternative option and reduces the demand-supply gap to an extent.
A living liver transplant is possible because the liver can rejuvenate and return to its actual size after part of the organ gets surgically removed. Before you opt for the surgery, make sure to learn more about the liver transplant cost in Delhi and what you can expect from the transplant.
Why is a Liver Transplant Done?
A liver transplant is the best treatment option for end-stage liver disease. It is apt for patients with liver failure where the condition cannot be controlled by medication or any other therapy. In some cases, liver failure occurs quickly, within weeks, and is known as Acute Liver Failure. This type of liver failure is uncommon and may happen from complications arising from some medications. Even though a liver transplant can treat Acute Liver Failure, it is utilized primarily for Chronic Liver Failure.
Chronic liver failure occurs due to many conditions. The most common cause for this is Cirrhosis [Scarring of the liver]. When Cirrhosis takes place, scar tissue replaces the liver tissue. As a result, the liver does not function properly. Cirrhosis is the most common cause of a liver transplant.
What Happens After the Liver Transplant?
Immediately after the procedure, the patient will be shifted to the ICU [Intensive Care Unit]. There, the patient will be monitored closely and the vital parameters will be checked regularly. The patient may require a ventilator and a tube within the trachea to breathe normally.
This tube and the ventilator will be removed once the patient regains consciousness and can breathe without it. Multiple examinations and tests will be conducted, such as ECGs, X-rays, blood tests, etc, to determine the extent of recovery.
These tests are conducted to check whether or not the patient’s body has accepted the transplanted liver and whether it’s functioning smoothly.
Time Taken for a Person to return to normal
It may take a patient 6 to 12 months to recover fully from a liver transplant and get back to a normal routine. But this particular timeframe is not one-size-fits-all. The healthier you are before the liver transplant, the quicker you recover after the surgery.
Patients must spend several weeks after the transplant at the hospital because of this surgery’s complexity. The duration of stay depends on how well the patient recovers from the procedure.
Different blood tests and imaging tests are done to ascertain how the patient’s body is responding to the newly transplanted liver. As the patient recovers, the frequency of the tests decreases.
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The Cost of Liver Transplants
The liver transplant cost in Delhi or any other location in India will depend on the hospital. The cost will also depend on the city where the patient resides. But on average, the transplant costs between INR 22,50,000 to INR 30,75,000. Be sure to check the cost of the transplant before you opt for it.
One Last Thought
A liver transplant is a major surgical procedure where a damaged or non-functioning liver is replaced by a healthy liver. It is for people who suffer from acute or chronic liver failure. When you’re planning to opt for this surgery, be sure to gain the relevant information and learn about its risk factors, cost, and recovery time.
