Know your Liver:
Liver is the Largest Gland in Human Body with many important functions to perform. Any derialment in Liver Function need to be addressed immediately to avoid long term damage, which may be potentially fatal. Although Dialysis can temporarily improve the condition of patient of end stage liver disease,but Liver transplant is the only option for saving the life of patients suffering from end stage liver disease. Liver Has many important functions to perform in human body.The major functions of a healthy liver can be listed as:- Processing of food digested from intestine,manufacturing bile which is essential for digestion,Neutralizing and destroying drugs and toxins,Fighting infections in body.Breaking down food components for providing energy for body functions,making protiens and enzymes responsible for blood clotting and repairing damaged tissues.
What are Symptoms of an Ailing liver:
Symptoms of Liver Disease In the beginning of liver disease the symptoms are not noteworthy but as the disease progress they become noticeable ,although these symptom could be because of other causes too,but if the above symptoms appear in people living in high prevalence areas like PAKISTAN and MONGOLIA they must get themselves examined for a possible liver disease. A general fatigue or weakness without a relevant reason. Swelling of feet and face,abnormal itching of skin,Jaundice-Yellowing of skin and eyes,distension or heaviness in abdomen because of fluid retention,GI bleeding ,coffee or black color stools,vomiting blood or bleeding in subcutaneous tissues,Hepato encephalopathy that may result in change of behavior,altered sensorium,drowsiness and confusions, which may look like disorientation.
What is ESLD or End stage Liver Disease:
What Is Cirrhosis or ESLD (End stage Liver disease) ? Liver tissues are basically sponge in nature but due to various factors they may turn into scar tissues over a period of time, this scarring of liver tissues is generally called cirrhosis. What Causes ESLD ? Hepatitis B and Hapatitis C infections, Alcohol induced liver disease,Fatty Liver disease,Autoimmune liver disease,Cryptogenic liver disease,Primary biliary cirrhosis,secondry biliary cirhosis and primary sclerosing cholongitis etc. In chidren, absence of bile duct since birth,metabolic disease,progreesive Familial intrahepatic Cholestatis and congenital Hepatic fibrosis could be the reason for Cirrhosis of liver.
Liver diseases can be chronic( Over a long period of time) or Acute (Sudden)
Liver disease can be classified as chronic and acute. In Acute liver disease the damage to otherwise healthy liver takes place in a few days or few weeks. In acute Liver failure the patient have the symptoms of Jaundice which progresses rapidly and patient may go in coma. It is a potentially fatal condition if not treated in time. Liver transplant is the only viable option for an acute liver failure patient. Causes of Acute Liver Failure Overdose of drugs like paracetamol or acetaminophen. Viral hepatitis A,B, or Hepatitis E. Metabolic disorder like Wilson’s disease and fatty liver during pregnancy.
Understanding Liver Transplant:
Liver transplant is replacing faulty or damaged liver by a healthy liver obtained from a deceased or a healthy living donor who is a close relative to patient.Liver transplant is a complicated surgery which requires a good hospital set up, qualified and experienced team of transplant surgeons, hepatologist,anaesthetists ,a transplant coordinator and an effective co ordination between all of them and of course family of the patient.The role of family is equally important for a successful liver transplant. Who requires a liver transplant? Liver disease patients Suffering from acute/Fulminant liver failure, decompensated cirrhosis and a few and not all liver cancers.
Majority of liver transplants in India are done through live donors because of non availability of deceased donors. The donor has to be a healthy man/woman in the age bracket of 18 to 55 years of age and a close relative to patient. The donor has to undergo a battery of tests to ascertain the fitness for liver donation. A Fit Donor can donate upto 70% of his liver without any complications. Within 3 to 6 weeks 100% functionality of liver is restored in donor and he/she starts living normal life as he /she was doing before donating the liver. There is no shortfall or handicap in post liver donation for the donor but b’cause of his/her donation a life is saved.
Precautions for donor, post liver donation :
Usually donor stays in ICU for two days post liver donation and then shifted to normal hospital room for another 3-4 days for observation.When the donor is discharged from hospital ,they are generally on normal diet and start their daily core activities on their own.They need a further follow up post discharge from hospital for a fortnight and can leave for their home afterwards.There are no life style changes or dietary restriction or any long usage of medication. The only precaution donor needs to take is to avoid any strenuous physical activity for six months as in any other normal abdomen surgery .There is usually no serious life threatening danger involved for donor if proper screening of donor’s fitness have been done prior to surgery.
Precautions for Patient,Post Liver transplant :
Patients stay in ICU usually for 5-7 days and then are shifted to normal room for another 10 days before being discharged from hospital.They are advised to stay closer to hospital for another 3-4 weeks post discharge for follow up. Once they stabilizes completely doctors may advise them to leave for their home. Success of a liver transplant depends a great deal on post transplant care. As the patient is put on immunosuppressive medication to avoid rejection of newly transplanted liver ,Patient must ensure a good personal hygiene to avoid infections. Timely and regular follow up with their doctors with prescribed test reports. Taking the medicines at the proper time.Abstaining from outside and street food to avoid any possible infections,avoiding any stressful or heavy physical activity in the first six months of surgery.
- An Advise for Global guests seeking Liver transplant In India. Before starting for india for a liver transplant,guest must procure all the relevant information before hand. The first step is to select a hospital for their transplant and then do certain prelim tests and send the tests reports to the concerned doctors for getting the opinion if they require a liver transplant . Arranging a suitable and fit donor from their family ,do the prelim tests for donor and send the reports to concerned doctor for assessment of fitness of donor. Sometimes the patient fly in with unsuitable donor and then once the donor is rejected as unfit,they have to find another donor and that makes them overstay in India and increase the cost of India Stay.
- We at Complete Medicare Solutions do all the co ordination for guests seeking a liver transplant in India. We help them in selecting a hospital and specialist doctors, Arrangements for India stay in a hotel or fully furnished serviced apartments, Helping in issuance of Medical and Medical X visa,local transportation and coordinating with hospital and doctors for scheduling the Liver transplant.
