Fortis Hospital Gurugram again successfully conducted liver transplant (LTP) on patients from Amritsar – a 47-year-old Mr Harsharan Singh suffering from Liver Cirrhosis due to alcohol and a 51-year-old Mr. Gurpreet Singh who was diagnosed with Non – Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) related Liver Cirrhosis. Both of these patients had been diagnosed with Liver diseases 10 years and 5 years back respectively. They were initially taking medicines in consultation with the local doctors, however, their illness continued to progress requiring hospitalization multiple times in Amritsar with complaints of jaundice, fluid in stomach, pain in chest & stomach and mental confusion. Accordingly both patients consulted Fortis team at Sarvhit Gastrocity and were advised to undergo liver transplant. Their Liver Transplant was successfully done Fortis Team led by Dr. Vivek Vij, Chairman, LTP & Hepato- Pancreato- Biliary (HPB) Surgery, Fortis Hospitals, Delhi-NCRand Dr Ashish Singhal, Senior Consultant, LTP & HBP Surgery, Fortis Hospitals, Delhi-NCR. Women’s from their family stepped forward to save lives of their loved ones and donated a part of the liver.
Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is a procedure which involves replacing of unhealthy liver with the healthy liver from another living person through surgical intervention. LDLT is a treatment for all liver diseases of end stage including liver failure. Laparoscopic Donor liver surgery is the latest innovation in field of LDLT which is performed through small holes and the liver is taken out through lower abdomen incision.
Dr. Vivek Vij, Chairman, LTP & HBP Surgery, Fortis Hospitals, Delhi-NCR said, “These patients were brought to us at a stage of Cirrhosis, a late stage of scarring (fibrosis),in which normal liver functioning is severely affected and undergoing LTP is the only option. At this stage it is imperative that the patients should be referred to the liver transplant team on time.
Dr Vij further added, “Over the years, the donor surgeryprocedure has evolved and become very safe. The mainproblem we face with such patients is delay in referral toLTP centre and finding a suitable liver donor. Liver is a very unique which has the capacity to grow back to the near normal size and functioning in a period of few months to a year. Any healthy family member who is of age 18-50 years with no major medical problems can be assessed for being a liver donor. The laparoscopic liver donor surgery is very advantageous over conventional open donor surgery which includes less pain, faster recovery, and better aesthetically.Fortis Hospital, Gurugram is the only hospital in India which is actively performing laparoscopic donor liver surgery.
Dr Gurbilas Singh, Director, Gastroentrology, Hepatology & Interventional Endoscopy, Sarvhit Gastrocity, Amritsar said, “Sarvhit Gastrocity is a centre for all gastroenterology and liver diseases with specialists having a vast experience. The center has been serving the patients from this region for over the last 3 years. The consultants at Sarvhit with their expertise and team work – diagnose, work up and treatpatients with liver disease and guide them for timely intervention for any tertiary care procedures like liver transplant, which are not done in Punjab as a routine. Contrary to the popular misunderstanding, the doctors herestrongly believe that quality of life as well it’s meaningful prolongation is possible after such procedures in carefully selected patients. Team of doctors from Fortis Gurugram coming to Sarvhit makes it easier for timely intervention in serious cases.
Mr. Harsharan Singh, the patient said, “I was diagnosed with liver disease 10 years back and was advised to cut down my alcohol intake. At that time, I did not take it seriously and 3 years later I was on stage 4. Thereafter, I continued my medication; however, my lifestyle remained the same. Two years back, tired of my disease; I stopped my treatment and discontinued taking my medicines. I started to continuously have jaundice; whenever I use to drink I had chest & stomach pain with vomiting. During the COVID- 19lockdown my alcohol consumption increased further which impacted my liver even more and in December 2020 my pain aggravated and I had to get admitted. While admitted in hospital for two month I started to lose my consciousness, my oxygen level dropped and I was shifted to ICU with oxygen support. It was during doctor’s visit from Fortis Gurgaon at Sarvhit Gastrocity that we took a consult fromLTP experts who told us there was hope in for me if I get a Liver Transplant. We immediately travelled to Gurgaon and after all necessary testing and donor matching, my Liver Transplant was successfully done in the end of March- 21. Now I do not have any pain, don’t have nausea and have resumed my work like normal.
Mr Gurpreet Singh, the patient said, “Although I was diagnosed with fatty liver disease 5 years back, I was in bad shape since last 2 years. In starting of 2019, I started to feel nausea, heaviness in chest. As it continued I got my ultrasound which showed liver cirrhosis. I started my medication for same along with all necessary precautions. In August 2020 my health deteriorated and started to bleed from my mouth. My endoscopy came clear however, due to loos of blood my BP started to fall. After 6 days of stay I was discharged and started on medication. In December 2020 I started to have continuous swelling in my feet and stomach. Thereafter, due to accumulation of fluid in my chest, I started to have breathing difficulties and has to be hospitalised. Doctors recommended me that the only possibility of a healthy life for me was to get a LTP. My sister volunteered and donated a part of her liver. I am grateful to my sister and team at Fortis Gurgaon for successfully treating me with all the care and love.