A liver transplant is a procedure that involves removing a damaged liver and replacing it with a healthy one. Such operations have been performed for more than several decades. Several people who have undergone liver transplants have gone on to live completely normal lives.
In this article, Dr Gaurav Gupta who is known for the best liver transplant in Mumbai will discuss everything you need to know about the step by step liver transplant process in Mumbai.
What Factors Are Considered When Choosing a Liver Transplant Candidate?
To assess whether a liver transplant is appropriate, experts from a range of professions must be consulted. If we take the example of liver transplant hospitals in Mumbai, a review of your medical history and a battery of tests are included in the evaluation. Blood tests, X-rays, and other tests will be scheduled by the transplant team to assist in determining whether you require a transplant and whether it can be done safely. Other elements of your health, such as your heart, lungs, kidneys, immune system, and mental health, will be examined to ensure that you are fit for surgery.
How Is The Decision To Transplant Made?
The transplant choice in Mumbai is usually made after consulting with all people engaged in the patient’s care, including doctors and the patient’s family. The patient’s and family’s participation is crucial, and it’s critical that they fully comprehend the dangers and benefits of transplantation.
Will liver transplantation be a last-resort treatment if all other options have failed?
Both yes and no would be the response. If medical treatment is anticipated to extend survival while maintaining a high quality of life, transplantation may be explored at a later date. However, the procedure should be performed before the patient reaches the end stage of the disease, when he or she is too sick to undergo major surgery. For individuals with a poor quality of life due to liver cirrhosis issues, liver transplantation should be done at the peak of their health to provide a good prognosis.
What Is The Time It Takes To Get A New Liver?
Your name will be added to a waiting list if you become an active liver transplant candidate. Patients are organized by blood type, body mass index, and medical condition (how ill they are). In case of liver transplant in Mumbai, three simple blood tests are used to assign a priority score to each patient (creatinine, bilirubin, and INR). In adults, the MELD (model of end-stage liver disease) score is used, while in children, the PELD (pediatric end-stage liver disease) score is used.
The highest-scoring patients are transplanted first. It is impossible to estimate how long it will take for a liver to become available as people become more ill. As their scores rise, their priority for transplant rises, allowing the sickest patients to be transferred first. Your transplant coordinator will be accessible to talk about where you are on the waiting list at any time. While you wait for a new liver, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about how you can prepare for the upcoming surgery. You can also start studying how to look after a new liver.
When Is A Liver Transplant Necessary?
Many factors can lead to liver disease severe enough to necessitate a liver transplant. Cirrhosis is the leading cause of liver transplantation in adults. Cirrhosis is a disease in which the liver gradually deteriorates and malfunctions as a result of long-term damage. Scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue, obstructing blood flow through the liver somewhat. Viruses including hepatitis B and C, alcohol, autoimmune liver illnesses, fat buildup in the liver, and genetic liver diseases can all cause cirrhosis. Many patients who develop cirrhosis of the liver as a result of heavy drinking require a liver transplant. Abstinence from alcohol and treatment of complications for six months will usually allow some of them to recover dramatically, and these individuals may be able to live without a transplant for longer periods of time. When lengthy abstinence and medical treatment fail to restore health in people with advanced liver disease, liver transplantation is the only option.
Biliary atresia is the most common reason for liver transplantation in children. Biliary atresia is an uncommon disorder in which the common bile duct between the liver and the small intestine is obstructed or missing in newborn newborns. Cirrhosis is caused by clogged bile, which is carried out of the liver by bile ducts that are missing or damaged in this condition. Bile aids in the digestion of meals. The illness might lead to liver failure if it goes unnoticed. The condition’s cause is unknown. Only specific procedures or liver transplantation are successful treatments.
Liver cancer, benign liver tumors, and inherited illnesses are among the other causes for transplantation. Primary liver malignancies develop at a far higher rate in cirrhotic livers than in normal livers, especially in individuals with Hepatitis B-related liver disease. Liver transplantation at an early stage of liver cancer may result in long-term survival for some patients. A liver transplant, on the other hand, will not cure malignancies of the liver that start elsewhere in the body and spread to the liver.