Frequently Asked Questions 

What is Liver Transplant or Liver Transplantation?

Liver Transplant is a surgical procedure that involves replacing the damaged liver with a healthy liver of either alive or deceased person. Liver Transplantation helps in curing chronic liver diseases and improves the patients quality of life.  

What are the advantages of a Liver Transplant?

Advantages of Liver Transplant are:

1. Helps to cure liver dysfunction
2. Improves patient quality of life
3. Cure’s Wilson’s disease
4. Helps in regaining the function of the liver

What are the indications of Liver Transplant?

Liver Transplant is indicated in the following conditions:

1. Liver cancer without affecting the surrounding tissues and blood vessels
2. Severe liver dysfunction
3. End-stage liver disease
4. Chronic liver disease not responding to the medications

What is the preparation for Liver Transplant?

1. Avoid consumption of alcohol for 6 months.
2. Patient health condition will be evaluated by the doctor.
3. Inform the doctor, about past and present medical and medication history.
4. Few tests such as blood tests, urine tests, heart check-up, imaging tests of the liver, and psychological assessments, etc. may be performed.
5. The doctor will examine the patient for MELD score.

What are the steps involved in Liver Transplant?

Following are the steps involved in Liver Transplantation:

1. The donated liver is received from either living or deceased person. If the donor is a deceased person, then whole liver can be obtained. In case the donor is alive, then general anesthesia will be given to sedate the donor and then the blood vessels that are connected to the liver and bile ducts are separated. Next, a portion of the liver from the donor is taken.
2. The receiver will be sedated by using general anesthesia and the blood vessels of the liver along with bile ducts are separated.
3. Now, either complete liver from the deceased donor or a portion of the liver from the alive donor will replace the damaged liver of the patient.
4. After placing the healthy liver, the surgeon will connect the blood vessels and bile ducts.
5. Finally, all the incisions made are closed with stitches.

What is the postprocedure care/recovery care for Liver Transplant?

1. All vital signs along with the liver function will be monitored by nurses and doctors for up to 4-5 days.
2. Once the transplanted liver is stable, the patient will be discharged from the hospital with a set of instructions to follow.
3. Pain may be experienced by the patient and if the pain is severe, consult the doctor as soon as possible.
4. Immunosuppressants will be given and may take for life long.
5. The doctor will plan several check-ups to evaluate and to examine the condition of the transplanted liver.

Who can perform this [Right specialist type for Liver Transplant]?

Liver Transplantation can be performed by:

1. A trained Hepatologist in liver transplantation
2. An experienced General surgeon
3. A Gastroenterologist who successfully performed liver transplantations

What is the cost of a Liver Transplant in Pune?

Cost of the liver transplant in Pune depends on the following  factors:

1. Type of hospital
2. Admission fee
3. Health condition of the patient
4. Surgeon fee
5. Severity of liver disease
6. Relationship to the liver donor
7. Experience of the surgeon
8. Post-surgical complications that are involved

Minimum expenses for Liver Transplant in Pune starts from Rs.25,00,000

Average amount to be paid for Liver Transplant in Pune is approximately Rs.26,50,000

Maximum charges for Liver Transplant to be paid in Pune rises up to Rs. 28,00,000

Is Liver Transplant a major surgery or minor surgery?

The severity of the procedure depends on:

1. Condition of the liver disease
2. Immune system of the patient

However, Liver Transplantation is a major surgery as it involves transplanting the liver to a patient from a dead or alive donor.

What is the eligibility criteria for a Liver Transplant?

A Liver Transplant can be performed on:

1. Individuals above 18 years old suffering from active chronic liver disease.
2. People having liver cancer without spreading to surrounding tissues and blood vessels.
3. Individuals with liver disease and is not responding to medications.

What is the ineligibility criteria for a Liver Transplant?

Candidates who cannot undergo Liver Transplant are:

1. People who cannot quit drinking alcohol even after the surgery.
2. Individuals who are below 18 years with an acute liver disease that can be treated with medications.
3. Individuals who consumed alcohol in the past 6 months.
4. People suffering from cancer outside of the liver.

What are the risks and complications associated with Liver Transplant?

Complications and risks associated with Liver Transplant are the following:

1. Liver rejection by the immune system
2. Infection
3. Shrinkage of the bile ducts
4. Loss of blood
5. Failure of the donated liver
6. Blood clots formation
7. Bile ducts leakage

How long does it take to complete Liver Transplant?

Liver Transplant surgery may take 4-8 hours to complete.

What is the recovery time?

Individuals who undergo Liver Transplant may take about 3-5 months to recover and this period depends on the immune system of the patient.

What is the success rate of Liver Transplant?

The success rate of Liver Transplant depends on the following factors:

1. Severity of the liver disease
2. Condition of the immune system of an individual
3. Experience of the Surgeon

However, the success rate of a liver transplant ranges between 75% to 89%.

Is Liver Transplant painful?

During the surgery process, patient will be sedated by general anesthesia to prevent the pain. But, after the surgery, there may be a mild to moderate pain. 

Is Liver Transplant Permanent?

Liver Transplantation is a permanent procedure that provides a good, healthy and long-lasting liver to the individual having a damaged liver. But, in a few cases, the patient may again develop the liver disease and can damage the transplanted liver too.

What are the long-term effects of a Liver Transplant?

Following are some of the long-term effects of Liver Transplant:

1. Increases the life expectancy of patients suffering from chronic liver disease
2. Improves the patient quality of life
3. Graft dysfunction
4. Lifelong immunosuppression medications may be required
5. Increases the risk of developing a heart disease
6. Impairment of the kidney may occur

Can Liver Transplant be detected in the future?

By getting some lab test Liver transplantation can be detected in the future. Moreover, small to large scars may be present at the site of the operation. 

What are the options if the Liver Transplant is not successful?

In the case of failed Liver Transplant, the doctor may suggest immunosuppressants to prevent the immune system from damaging the transplanted liver and the transplant rejection may be reversed. 

What are the alternatives for Liver Transplant?

Alternatives to Liver Transplant are:

1. Bioartificial liver devices
2. Extracorporeal artificial liver devices
3. Hepatocyte transplantation

Can Liver Cancer patients receive Liver Transplant?

If liver cancer is not spread to surrounding tissues and blood vessels, then the patient can get a liver transplant.