First private hospital from India to perform liver transplant in Sudan

Delhi  : Establishing a medical milestone in the healthcare sector, Manipal Hospitals, Delhi performed Sudan’s first ever liver transplant on a 35-year-old male patient. The team led by Dr. Shailender Lalwani, HOD and Consultant – Liver Transplantation and Hepato-Pancreatic Biliary Surgery went to Sudan and successfully performed liver transplant surgery as the patient was suffering from end-stage liver failure. This case was a successful attempt to establish a sustainable liver transplant program in Sudan by an Indian hospital.

The problem of liver failure is on the rise among people of different age groups. It is a fatal condition that leads to the loss of liver function and requires immediate medical intervention. In the majority of cases, this condition is not detected at the initial stages and slowly deteriorates the function of the body. To tackle this situation, a liver transplant could turn out to be an important milestone in saving the life of the patient. This surgical procedure removes the damaged liver that is no longer able to function and replaces it with a healthy one from a deceased donor or a portion of a healthy liver from a living donor. A liver transplant is usually reserved as a treatment option for patients suffering from significant complications due to end-stage chronic liver disease or liver failure.

Commenting on the severity of this case, Dr. Shailender Lalwani said, “When we diagnosed the patient, we found that he was suffering from end-stage liver failure. Other than a transplant, there was no way left to save his life. Liver failure is a condition that is highly affected by lifestyle choices. Therefore, it is always recommended to have healthy practices in life and be watchful of any potential symptoms of the disease. Frequent abdominal pain, nausea, and weakness can be a warning sign of this fatal condition. This case was a unique one for us, but the patient was able to positively take the surgery and showed no signs of infection”.