Best Pediatric Liver Transplant Surgery in India

Parents always want the best for their children – especially when it comes to medical assistance. In unfortunate circumstances if you get to know that your child’s liver is weak and needs to be transplanted, as parents, it is not a good news. In such situations, it is normal to feel chaotic and confused. We are there to help all such parents and kids who are seeking pediatric liver transplant  assistance in India.

With 302 successful liver transplants in children till date, India-based Apollo hospital is leading from the front in pediatric liver transplant. The hospital has proven skills to carry out liver transplant surgery on babies weighing up to 4 kgs. With specialist doctors and world-class medical facilities that are also relatively cost effective, hospitals in India are fast becoming the chosen destinations for parents across the world if their kids require a liver transplant. Please read the following FAQs related to carrying out a liver transplant in India for children.

What is a pediatric liver transplant?

This is a surgical procedure that replaces the unhealthy liver of a child with that of the healthy donor liver.

How do I know if a child requires a liver transplant?

Sometimes, two to eight weeks after birth, infants develop a rare liver disease called Biliary Atresia which is followed by acute liver failure and metabolic diseases for liver transplant. This calls for liver transplant in a child.

How do doctors usually determine if a child needs a liver transplant?

Doctors look for a complete clinical evaluation of the expert transplant team before confirming whether the child needs liver transplant or not.

How can I arrange a donor liver that matches my child’s requirement?

There are two options: first is to get the liver from a brain-dead patient, although a very rare option. Second and the most feasible option is to find liver donor from within the family itself.

How does a doctor determine liver donor’s fitness for the purpose?

They usually recommend parents with compatible blood group and free from any pre-existing medical conditions to be a potential donor.

What all tests are required to be done before the transplant?

‘HLA typing’ determines relationship between donor and recipient. Patient will also require performing a general body check-up, especially CT angiography of abdomen to understand the blood supply in liver.

Do I need to produce the immunization records of my child?

Yes, vaccination records are essential as some vaccines can’t be given after transplant.

What happens to the donor liver after surgery?

Fortunately, liver is the only organ in the body that has a tendency to regrow, so donor liver regenerate itself to its normal shape after 8-12 weeks.

What is the advantage of living donor transplant?

It’s always a planned surgery without much risk to donor or recipient.

How long will the donor and patient have to stay in the hospital?

The donor gets discharged in a week, whereas the patient needs to stay around three weeks in the hospital depending on full recovery.

By when can a donor start performing regular day-to-day activities?

Generally, donors are advised bed rest for at least three months to recover completely.

What is the duration of a liver transplant surgery?

Patient’s surgery takes ~8-12 hours, whereas the donor’s surgery can take upto 5 hours.

What are the risks involved in the liver transplant surgery?

Some common yet treatable complications may occur such as bleeding, blood clotting disorders and infections. However, rejection of liver from patient’s own immune system is a major problem and may call for another transplant.

Does my child need to stay in ICU?

Yes, your child needs special liver transplant ICU for more than a week based on recovery.

Does my child need lifelong medications?

Yes, the patient will need anti-rejection medicines lifelong otherwise patient’s own immunity will reject the donor liver.

What happens in case my child misses out on medication for any reason?

In that case, you will have to contact us for further guidance.

As a family of the patient from different country, how long do we have to stay in India after transplant?

A patient will need twice a week examination post transplantation by the transplant team of doctors till your child recovers fully. Hence, at least a stay of two months post-transplant is recommended.

Who will follow up on my child in my home country?

Local pediatrician can manage your child in your home country supported by our transplant team via emails.

What are the precautions to be taken post-transplant?

Avoid heavy activities and crowed places to prevent infection for six months.

Can my child live a normal healthy life after transplant?

Yes, a healthy routine life has been achieved by most patients after successful liver transplant. Patient can attend school and other sports activities after six months of the liver transplant.

Does my child have normal married life post transplant?

Yes, the patient can have normal married life with no fertility risks.

What is the success rate of the liver transplant in a child?

Apollo hospital in New Delhi has been able to achieve 90% success rate in pediatric liver transplant. Apollo has been successfully running pediatric liver transplant since 1998 and their results are at par with world’s best hospitals.

What is the cost of pediatric liver transplant?

Pediatric liver transplant at Apollo Hospital, Delhi with standard complications will cost US $31,000, which is the one-tenth of the cost as compared to world’s best centers.

How long should a patient stay in India for a liver transplant?

Liver transplant requires minimum two moths stay in India. All solid organs transplantation in India is governed by an Act and surgery can only be carried out once you get permission from Authorization Committee. It takes minimum 15 days to seek an approval from the committee in case all the statutory requirements are fulfilled. You are recommended to stay for a month after discharge from the hospital so as to monitor functioning of your new liver, and then you can travel back to your home country.

How long a donor should stay in India?

Donor can fly back to home country after 10 days of surgery if the donation went uneventful.

STEP BY STEP PROCESS FOR UNDERGOING LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

 Top doctors in India offering liver transplant surgery in India

1. Arinder Singh Soin, working as Chairman Liver Transplant Unit at Medanta the Medicity, experience 28 years.
2. Prof Subhash Gupta, HOD Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliary unit at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Experience 22 years.
3. Dr Vivek Vij, Head Liver Transplant Department at Fortis Group of hospitals, experience 20 years.
4. Dr Neerav Goel working as senior consultant liver transplant and hepatobiliary unit at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital New Delhi, experience 15 years.
5. Dr Shailendra Lalwani, Director Liver Transplant at Manipal Hospital ,experience 15 years

Top hospitals in India Offering liver transplant surgery

1. Indraprastha Apollo Hospital
2. Medanta The Medicity
3. Manipal Hospital
4. Max Super Speciality Hospital
5. Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram

What is the cost of the liver transplant in India?

What all documents needed prior to organ transplant in India?

In India, solid organ transplantation is regulated by a law known as Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994. This Act is enacted to prevent medical ethics and commercialization of human organs. All major Indian hospitals like Fortis, Apollo, Max, Medanta, Artemis and BLK have statutory licenses to carry out human organs transplantation in accordance of the Act. This acts permits transplants only when donor and recipient meet certain criterion, monitored by transplant Authorisation committee set up by Govt. of India. The Patients are advised to go through the table below very carefully, properly compile all duly attested documents before traveling their home country /coming to India. The Authorization Committee may not grant permission to carry organ transplant surgery in case of any discrepancy observed by the Authorization Committee in your documents. Other set of documents are compiled by the hospital legal cell on your arrival.

Who is close relative donor?

It means grandparents, parents, spouse, sibling, children and grandchildren of donor only. In case of married donors, close relative donor would mean husband or wife.

Who is 1st degree related donor?

1st Degree Related means grandparents, parents, children, siblings and grandchildren only.

Who is distant relative or unrelated donor?

Distant Relative means cousin, In laws, Niece, nephew, brother/sister in law, All others fall in unrelated donor category.

Suitability of Donor would be decided by transplant surgeon as per the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994 (THOA), the donor should be above 18 years of age.

If the donor is unmarried then one consent form is to be made in prescribed format from mother and father of donor duly attested by the concerned Embassy/High Commission (Annexure -1 ), In addition to their ID card and documentary link. If the Donor is married, the consent affidavit needs to be provided by both the spouse (husband/wife as applicable) AND parents (either father or mother) along with photograph attested by the concerned Embassy/High Commission (Annexure -1), In addition to their ID card and documentary link.

Donor & Recipient Identity Proof

Donor & Recipient Family Proof

Donor & Recipient Income Proof

Note:

• Husband and wife fall in spousal category
• It is compulsory that all the above documents are attested by your Ministry of External/Foreign Affairs before you leave your country. Upon arrival in India, these documents will again need to be attested by your country’s Embassy/High Commission in New Delhi, India. Please bring all the original documents along with you, which will be required to produce before the Authorization Committee in the hospital.
• Other affidavits, psychiatric clearance and forms would have to be made in India.
• Presence of donor, recipient and donor close relative is essential

*** Additional documents needed in case of UNRELATED DONOR

The other family members apart from the first degree members fall under the category of unrelated donors. They should carry the below mentioned additional documents in addition to the documents mentioned in the General Check List.

1. Self-attested family tree, depicting all the first degree family members mentioning blood groups along with the supporting documents with reasons for their unsuitability to donate the organ.
2. Self-attested family tree showing the relationship between the patient and the donor.
3. An explanation of the link between the donor and the recipient and the circumstances which led to the offer being made.
4. Reasons why the donor wished to donate.
5. Documentary evidence of the link, e.g. proof that they have lived together etc.
6. Old photographs/albums showing the donor and recipient together.
7. Educational certificates of the Donor.
8. Job/employment details of the donor.

How can I get an appointment in India?

For Appointments/ queries and to understand about the legal documents required before the liver transplant, please reach out on the below details: