Liver Transplantation in India

The only definite treatment for liver failure is a liver transplantation. During a liver transplant, the diseased liver is removed and replaced with a healthy one.

The first successful Liver Transplantation was performed on a child in 1967. Since then, there has been tremendous progress in the complicated process of liver transplantation, which in 1983 was confirmed to be a valid procedure in cases of end stage liver disease (ESLD), in a consensus by the National Institutes of Health. The first successful liver transplantation in India was performed at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital on 15th November, 1998 in New Delhi.

The liver performs various functions that are essential for the well being of the body. Two types of liver transplant are possible: living donor transplant and cadaveric transplant. In living donor transplant, a portion of the liver is removed from a healthy person and placed into the patient. Since the liver has the capacity to regenerate, both the donor and the recipient liver portions grow to a normal size in a few weeks. In a cadaveric transplant the donor is a brain dead person.

The development of effective immuno-suppressive drugs and the refinement of surgical procedures have improved long-term success of liver transplantation. Liver transplantation currently is the only effective and acceptable option for treatment of various liver diseases both in adults and children.

Within the span of these last 15 years, approximately 4500 Liver Transplants have been done in India. This remarkable foray into organ transplantation has made India a global leader in the field by providing access to high quality and affordable transplant program.