Best Liver Transplant Hospital in Delhi, India

Dr.Ajitabh Srivastava, 3 mins read

Best Liver Transplant Hospital in Delhi, India:

Liver Transplant: Types, Evaluation Process, Waiting List, Procedure, Cost, Risks and Success Rate
A liver transplant, also known as a hepatic transplant, is a life-saving procedure. This is done when the liver is no longer in a condition to perform its basic functions. In this procedure, the damaged or diseased liver is replaced with a healthy one.

When is it done?
A liver transplant is warranted for patients suffering from end-stage chronic liver disease, liver cancer or liver failure.

Types:

• Living donor liver transplant: This involves removing a portion of the liver from a living person. As this organ has the ability to regenerate itself, both the remaining section (in the donor) and the transplanted section (in the recipient) of the liver can regrow to a normal size in a few months.
• Deceased donor liver transplant: Involves transplanting a liver removed from a brain-dead person.
• Split liver transplant: A liver removed from a deceased person is split into two pieces for two recipients. These pieces grow to a normal size over time.

How to choose the best liver transplant hospital in Delhi, India?

• Search online for the top liver transplant hospitals in Delhi, India, or you can ask someone you know who underwent this procedure.
• You can check the hospital ratings and reviews. Also, check whether the hospital is listed in your insurance policy.
• Know how many liver transplants and how complex cases the hospital has performed.
• Understand the procedure, associated risks and cost.
• After choosing a hospital, ask the doctor your doubts and his experience.
• Check out what techniques the doctor uses for the procedure.
• Ask the doctor for his previous patient's testimonials.

If you are recommended for this procedure, contact our experts to get a second opinion. We have a team of doctors who have expertise in performing deceased and living donor liver transplants. With a global reputation, our Department of Liver Transplant & Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery has provided a new lease on life to innumerable patients.

Evaluation process:

The doctor will evaluate your condition to determine whether you are a good candidate for a liver transplant. This process includes your:

Health status:

Tolerance power for life-long post-transplant medications
Other medical conditions that can interfere during and post-surgery

You’ll also need to undergo a few tests and exams. These include:

• Heart tests
• Liver ultrasound
• Blood and urine tests
• General health checkup

During this period, you will also have a consultation with a dietician, psychologist and financial experts who will help you throughout the transplantation process. At this time, you’ll also need to look for the right donor. For a right match, the donor’s body type, body size and other factors should be compatible with the recipient.

Liver transplant waiting list:

In case, doctors don’t find the right match in your family and relations, you'll need to look for a deceased or cadaver donor liver. You’ll be registered with the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO). Your healthcare provider will help you with this and other legal formalities.

As per a report, around 25-30 thousand liver transplants are required annually in India of which only around 1500 are being performed. Since the demand is high and supply is low, there is a long waiting list.

This waiting time can range from a few days to even years. The time usually depends on your condition. You’ll be assigned a score based on your creatine levels, liver function test, international normalised ratio and other factors. Those with higher scores are placed higher on the list.

Preparation for the procedure:

Whether your surgery is scheduled or you are waiting for the liver, you need to stay healthy. Take the prescribed medicines on time. Follow a proper diet and exercise routine and regularly follow up with your doctor.

If you notice any changes or severe symptoms while waiting for the transplant procedure, talk to your doctor.

Procedure:

Once the liver is available, you’ll be notified and admitted to the hospital. Then you’ll be examined to ensure you are healthy for the surgery.

If the doctor finds everything okay, you’ll be shifted to the operation theatre where you will receive general anaesthesia.

Once you get sedated, the doctor will make incisions in your stomach to access the liver. The diseased liver will be removed and the new healthy liver will be placed in the correct position.

Then the surgeon will connect blood vessels and bile duct to the new liver. The whole procedure can take around 5 to 12 hours depending on the complexity.

Afterwards, the surgeon will stitch the incision and you’ll be shifted to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit).

Liver transplant cost:

The average cost of a liver transplant in Delhi, India, is around Rs. 15 to 17 lakhs. However, the cost may vary based on your complexity, facility location and other factors. For a proper estimate, you can talk to our experts. You can get help from your health insurance company and patient help desk available in the hospital to get the best possible cost for your surgery.

After the procedure:

You’ll need to stay 4-10 days or even more in the hospital depending on your condition. During this time, you’ll be continuously monitored. Even after discharge from the hospital, you may need to undergo a few tests every week at first and then less often over time.

Besides, you need to take all the prescribed medicines and follow a healthy lifestyle. The recovery time may take around 6 months. However, this time may vary based on your overall condition. If the doctor finds you in a good state after a couple of weeks, he will allow you to resume normal activities.

Risks:

• Rejection of the new liver
• Bleeding (haemorrhages)
• Bile duct complications like bile duct leakage or bile duct shrinkage
• Blood clots
• Infection
• Loss of kidney function
• Problems with blood flow
• Risk of returning the disease in the transplanted liver

These risks can be mitigated by choosing the best liver transplantation doctor and following his advice properly throughout the process.

Liver transplant success rate:

The chances of successful liver transplantation and long-term survival depend on the individual’s health. As per a study, around 75% of patients who underwent this procedure live for at least five years.

The short-term survival rates are better in patients who received a liver from a living donor than a deceased donor. However, comparing long-term results is difficult because patients who receive liver from living donors have less waiting time.

On the other hand, those who receive liver from deceased donors usually have a longer waiting time which increases the complications.

Frequently asked questions:

Which city is best for liver transplants in India?
New Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai are a few of the cities that have the best liver transplant hospitals in India. The centres or hospitals in these cities usually record the maximum number of liver transplants across the country.

Is India good for liver transplants?

As per the data, around 25,000 liver transplants are being performed globally, of which 1,800 are performed in India. India has many liver transplant hospitals equipped with best-in-class facilities and expert surgeons that perform transplants at a fraction of the cost compared to other countries while giving international standard care.

Does the patient live a normal life after a liver transplant?

Though recovery time is longer, many patients are able to return to normal life after a couple of weeks of the surgery. But before that, you need to get consent from the doctor on whether you can resume the activities you want to do.