After giving up hope of survival following multiple complications, an employee of a government hospital here has received a fresh lease of life, thanks to the timely intervention and counselling which led to the transplant of living liver donated by his wife.
A beaming Madhuri, 40, a home-maker is normal after donating part of her liver to her husband Thatikonda Sundar Rao, 42, who works as a clerk at the Government Victoria Hospital. The recipient, who was critically ill a week ago, can go back to work within six weeks. “Our entire family with a college-going daughter and son studying eight standard would have been in a web of problems, had his life cut short due to liver failure and other associated ailments,” she told The Hindu.
Discharged
Six days after the transplant, Ms. Madhuri was discharged on Thursday. Doctors said Mr. Sundar Rao, who was referred to Care Hospital here four months ago with high score of Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD), would have no problem in resuming work after his discharge. Doctors at the Care Hospital, led by Tom Cherian, head of liver surgery division, performed the living donor liver transplant (LDLT) on Mr. Rao. “I am very happy to know that I can lead a near-normal life,” he said.
“Although the task of doing this complex procedure where it had never been done before in Andhra Pradesh was challenging, we were not in a position to wait for cadaver liver transplant due to the long waiting time,” Dr. Cherian said.
Doctors transplanted by taking 59% of liver of the donor. Dr. Cherian said the donor would need six weeks to allow her liver to grow up to 90%.
In India, on an average 1,00,000 suffer from liver ailments out of which 15 to 20% die due to delayed diagnosis. The high incidence is attributed to lack of awareness and annual check-up by those above 40.
Stating cadaver transplant was most preferred and the chance of recovery leading to a near-normal life was almost 92% in both cadaver and donor liver transplants, Dr. Cherian said they had conducted 19 liver transplants successfully at Care Hospital-Vizag in past one and half years.
Those who took part in the LDLT include Dr. Mohan Moharaj, anaesthetist, Dr. G. Sathya Narayana, medical gastroenterologist, Dr. Paramesh and Dr. Padmavati. Symptoms of acute liver ailments include cirrhosis, water in tummy, bleeding in mouth, yellowing of skin and whites of eyes, swelling of legs, ankles and feet, weight loss, nausea and vomiting.
The major dampening factor for a a few people preferring liver transplant – be it cadaver or donor – is failure of the insurance companies to cover the medical expenses. On an average, a transplant costs ₹19 lakh to ₹24 lakh.
