A liver transplant is a medical procedure that is done to replace the non-functioning liver with a healthy liver or part of it donated by either a living donor or a deceased donor. It is quite an essential medical procedure to help people sustain life in case of liver failure. It is also called hepatic transplantation while the process of replacing the diseased liver with a healthy one is also called allograft.
Liver failures can have serious complications on the user and can be life-threatening, hence the process of liver transplant is done by the patient to help them prolong their life.
How Liver Transplant Works (The Complete Procedure)
Several activities need to be undergone before starting the liver transplant. These are also known as the pre-liver transplant evaluation. This process first takes a rigorous look at the patient with specific tests, procedures, and more to identify the health status of the person.
The first step is to do a general health checkup with routine screening and more. Thereafter, the lab tests are conducted where the body vitals and blood tests are done. The third stage is to do the ultrasound test followed by the heart tests and overall patient evaluation. Once these procedures are done, the pre-liver transplant procedure is completed.
The surgery or the transplant process requires the surgeon to remove the liver and place the liver or the part of it from the donor in the patient’s body. For this, an incision is done on the liver area and an opening is made. The patient is put down under anesthesia to conduct this procedure. Once the donor’s liver is placed inside, the bile ducts and the blood vessels are connected back. Once done, the opening is stitched back by the surgeon. This entire process of liver transplant can take around 12 hours to complete.
How much does a Liver Transplant cost in India?
The cost of a Liver Transplant depends on various factors like:
- Doctor’s fee or Consultant’s fees
- Patient’s Age
- Patient’s Prior Medical history
- Pre-liver transplant evaluation
- City or the location of the procedure
- Hospital or the lab admission charges
- The cost of a liver transplant starts from roughly Rs 10,00,000 if performed in a normal hospital.
- In India, the average cost of a liver transplant ranges around Rs 22,00,000.
- For liver transplants in India, the maximum sum that can be charged can go as high as Rs. 32,00,000.
Types of Liver Transplant
- Deceased organ donation transplant: This transplant involves the transplanting of the liver donated by a person who deceased recently.
- Living donor liver transplant: This transplant involves removing a portion of the liver from the living donor and transplanting it into the patient.
- Split donation liver transplant: This transplant involves the donation of a liver from a deceased person which is further split into two parts and transplanted into two different people.
Note:
Liver transplantation is a major life-saver surgical procedure that helps a person with a failed liver to prolong their life. A timely diagnosis and checkup will help a person to understand the status of their liver and identify such issues beforehand.
Ridhima Sharma is a Senior Pharmacist at Kukreja Hospital, New Delhi. Ridhima completed her Diploma in Pharmacy (D. Pharm) from UP University. She regularly writes article on health information, fitness and beauty related products at IndiasStuffs.com
