Liver is a vital internal organ responsible for detoxifying many metabolites, synthesizing proteins, and producing biochemicals essential for digestion. Additionally, the liver also performs other functions such as regulating glycogen storage, producing hormones, and decomposing red blood cells (RBCs). If a liver function fails, then the treatment would be for dialysis to make it function appropriately but it is only for a short time. Although, researchers are working at a groundbreaking level to create an artificial liver that can function just like a natural liver. There is no cure yet but as of now, the only best treatment possible is liver transplant surgery.
What is Liver Transplant:
Liver transplant is a surgical procedure to replace the damaged liver that no longer functions properly with a healthy liver from a deceased person or a living donor.
It is a very successful treatment in India. The mortality rate of liver transplant is 95% at well-equipped and advanced transplant centers. This means out of 100 transplant patients, 95 patients will recover and discharge from the hospital in healthy condition. As this transplant procedure is complex, 3 to 5% risk is associated with it. The major risk accounts for the rejection of the new liver and infection.
Cost of liver transplant in India:
On average, the cost of a liver transplant in India is somewhere between 25-30 lakhs INR. The cost is cheaper and affordable when compared to other nations around the globe in terms of the same treatment and care in the hospital. The treatment cost depends on several factors such as:
- Kind of liver transplant surgery
- Hospital
- Patients overall health condition
- Medical reports
- Duration of the treatment
When the cost is compared with other developed countries such as the UK, US, Singapore, Thailand, and Turkey, the cost in India is at a fractional cost in comparison to these countries irrespective of no difference in the infrastructure, medical care, and treatment, hospitality, surgeons team or the success rates.
This is the main reason why India is chosen as the most preferred destination by medical tourists for a liver transplant. The cost is at an affordable rate in comparison with other western countries around the globe.
When it comes to transplant in India, India has become the benchmark of low-cost transplant surgery across the world. Dr. Vivek Vij is the best liver transplant surgeon in India. He is the youngest surgeon to complete 800 transplants at Fortis hospital. He is also known for his expertise in liver transplantation and hepatobiliary Sciences.
Common reasons for liver transplantation:
As mentioned earlier, patients with acute or chronic liver failure have no other option than to undergo a liver transplant. Following are the most common reasons:
- Genetic liver disorder
- Fulminant hepatic failure caused due to hepatic thrombosis, Fulminant viral hepatitis
- Cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) due to chronic hepatitis, alcoholic cirrhosis, hemochromatosis. Or primary biliary sclerosis
- Liver cancer such as primary hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatic adenoma, Cholangiocarcinoma, and primary hepatocellular malignancies
Why choose India for liver transplantation?
India is the preferred choice among medical tourists for liver transplantation because of the following strong reasons:
- Hospitals in India such as Fortis are well-equipped with advanced technologies similar to developed nations around the globe.
- Liver transplant in India is assessed by top specialized surgeons and a team of doctors who are highly expertise and trained in handling this treatment with the highest mortality rate of a liver transplant.
- It is much cheaper compared to other nations around the globe. This doesn’t mean compromising on the treatment. India does have good infrastructure, hospitality, surgeons, and everything that a developed country has. The cost is fractional with the same amenities and treatment such as the UK and the US.
These are the most compelling reasons why India is best for liver transplantation. The majority of liver transplants performed in India are living donor transplants. Emerging as a pioneer in the liver transplant was not an easy journey for India. The development in infrastructure and the involvement of multidisciplinary teams in the management of transplant patients had a major impact on India.
Dr. Vivek Vij is the best liver transplant surgeon in the world. Also, India has about a 95% success rate when it comes to liver transplants with the same treatment and cares at the hospital as that of other developed countries.
No wonder liver transplant is one of the most successful innovations in medical science over the last 20 years. The Human transplant organ donation Act was passed in 1994 when Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi requested the healthcare ministry to bring liver transplants to India. The first transplant in India was done in 1995 at Apollo Hospital, Chennai which was unsuccessful.
It was then in 1998, Dr. Rajshekar performed a successful living donor transplant (LDLT). And there was no turning back ever since. It is said to be a golden period for India as the regional liver transplant center+- in Southeast Asia. Around 30% of patients travel to India for liver transplant surgery.
