Introduction

The liver is one of the essential organs in our body. It is the site of the deamination and disintegration of several cells and serves as a storage for bile before releasing the digestive juice through the bile duct. Apart from this, it stores glucose as glycogen, so its level doesn't rise in the blood. 

However, it is also one of the many organs that get impacted due to many factors. From fatty liver to liver stones, there are so many ways in which the organ can suffer. Once there is liver cirrhosis, hepatic cancer, or chances of liver failure, it becomes quite difficult for doctors to reduce the person's mortality. Therefore, the only option people have is liver transplantation. 

We shall discuss what exactly liver transplantation is, the benefits and risks of the procedures, and preventive healthcare for the liver. 

When one needs liver transplantation?

There are multiple stages of liver disease. All doctors initially try to administer medicines and injections to treat these problems. However, there comes a stage when no standard treatment method shows a positive response. We often term this as end stage liver disease. As there is no possible treatment, the chances of the person dying are more.

To reduce this, doctors prefer to go for liver transplantation procedures. It is a technique where the damaged or nonfunctional parts of the liver are replaced with healthy ones. There are certain diseases where the entire liver needs to be transplanted, like liver cirrhosis or hepatic cancer.

Every doctor is responsible for providing complete details about the procedure, including liver transplant success rate, short-term and long-term benefits, and the procedure cost. But if you want to know more about these aspects beforehand, the following section will prove to be helpful for you.

What are the benefits of liver transplantation?

Many people believe that the only benefit of liver transplantation is having a long lifetime. However, this is not the complete truth because the overall scenario of having this complex surgery has changed a lot over the years. So, to help you understand more about liver transplantation, we have shared detailed insights into the advantages of having liver transplantation surgery.

  1. Longer life expectancy column considering that transplantation is suggested only at the end stage of the liver disease. The person will have a higher life expectancy than. In other words, the healthier liver parts will allow the body to function naturally and eliminate any malfunction.
  2. Reduced comorbidity: people with weak livers usually have huge comorbidity, so they succumb to other diseases or health issues. But with healthier liver transplantation, the comorbidity can be reduced significantly. So the person won’t have to succumb to health problems.
  3. Ultimate treatment: there is no greater treatment than liver transplantation. It is only offered when no other treatment method succeeds and improves the person's overall health.
  4. Higher success rate: another reason to rely on liver surgery is its higher success rate. Usually, the cases for 100% liver transplantation are usually less than segregated once. It means doctors often prefer to replace some damaged parts of the liver rather than the entire organ. As a result, the liver transplant success rate is relatively high, almost 89% on average.
  5. Covered by insurance: one of the significant benefits of this medical technique is affordable liver transplant costs in India. Almost all insurance providers cover the surgery under their policies, so people don't have to worry about insufficient funds to avail of this treatment.

To enjoy these benefits, you must find the best liver transplant hospital in Delhi. Until and unless you do so, it won’t be possible for any patient to get the best treatment from reputable and skilled doctors.

Is there any risk factor for liver transplantation?

Despite having a higher liver transplant success rate, the medical procedure is risky and can lead to the death of the person on the operation table. So, before you blatantly agree to get the transplantation done based on the benefits we explained above, look at the sides first.

  1. Finding a proper donor for liver transplantation is not so easy. First, it requires a perfect match, and several other medical tests are done. Sometimes, all the medical tests return positive results for a potential match, but doctors realize and negative point right at the end. So, it’s not easy to predict whether the person can be a proper match.
  2. It is no wonder that the cost of liver transplants in India is high compared to middle-class economic families. People without insurance cannot afford surgery, so the mortality rate increases.
  3. If somehow the liver fails and leads to other organ failures, it is next to impossible to gain success in liver transplantation.
  4. If the person has liver cancer and has entered the metastatic stage, there is no meaning in transplanting the liver. This is because, in metastasis, the cancerous cells affect other organ systems and lead to the advanced or last stage.
  5. The success rate of liver transplantation surgery depends on a plethora of factors. There will be huge risks if the person fails to maintain an appropriate diet or follow the doctors' instructions. Leading such an undisciplined life can result in one year of mortality only.

Why is liver transplantation so costly in India?

First, the technologies and medical equipment units used in liver transplantation are advanced. Most of these equipment units are not manufactured in India. The government and other hospital authorities must import them from other countries, which incurs a higher cost.

Furthermore, a significant section of the money is given to the donor as compensation. Therefore, if the required donor needs to have specific attributes, like opposing a rare blood group or having a particular dimension of the organ, the cost will automatically increase.

So, people need to understand the liver transplant cost and discuss everything with the doctor about the financial aspects. There are specific ways in which the price can be reduced significantly. Discussing everything with the hospital authorities and doctors beforehand can save time and help people pay the money upfront.

How to find the best doctor for liver transplantation in India?

Before you find the best liver transplant hospital in Delhi, you must look for an ideal doctor. So, check the medical degrees and certifications obtained over the years. Most doctors have two essential medical degrees, namely MBBS and MS. However, professionals involved with the surgery complete several other advanced degrees. 

Also, cross-check the reviews from other patients to know whether the doctor is reliable and trustworthy. You cannot go to just any professional claiming to perform the best liver transplantation surgeries in Delhi. There should be enough evidence of the claims and reports from others.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, a preventive lifestyle can help avoid such a risky and uncertain medical procedure. However, even though it is standard in India and worldwide, the success rate is not 100%. So, it would be better to rely on a healthy lifestyle and preventive healthcare to avoid any situation that might result in transplanting the liver or some parts.

Furthermore, you must find the best liver transplant hospital in Delhi. PSRI Hospital is one of the most famous names for liver transplantation surgery among some of the reputed doctors. Not only has it a well-maintained infrastructure, but the medical facilities offered are outstanding.

FAQ

  • What is the success rate of liver transplantation in India?

The average liver transplantation success rate in India is around 89%. However, it can increase or decrease based on the patient, technologies used for transplantation, donor liver, comorbidity, and many other factors. 

  • Is liver transplantation the ultimate treatment form?

Liver transplantation is not a treatment process. Instead, the medical procedure ensures the damaged liver or some of its parts can be removed and replaced with healthy ones. This extends the lifetime of the person. 

  • What is the life expectancy of liver transplantation?

The approximate life expectancy of liver transplantation is between five years and 20 years. However, this number can vary from 1% to another based on the surgery's success. Every person undergoing a liver transplant surgery needs to follow a proper lifestyle routine, diet, and a series of activities. If these are not followed enough, along with several other instructions from the doctor, the life expectancy automatically decreases to even one year.

  • Do we always need to be in the doctor's check after liver transplantation?

Yes, it is essential to be in a doctor's check-up even after undergoing liver transplantation surgery. This is because the doctor monitors how the new adjustments are performing in the body and if your body has acclimated to them or not.