Step-by-Step Guide to Liver Transplant Treatment

Liver transplant is a life-saving procedure that involves the excision of a failed or injured liver & replacement with a donor's liver. The patient must have the operation if his/her liver has collapsed because of chronic disease such as cirrhosis, liver cancer, hepatitis, or acute failure of the liver. This paper consists of a detailed step-by-step description of liver transplant treatment with emphasis on its steps & advanced medical facilities used in liver transplant, especially in India.

Understanding the Need for Liver Transplantation

The liver is also among the essential organs of the human body. It has several important functions, like detoxifying poisons, producing proteins to seal off blood, & saving energy. Once the liver is injured & unable to perform these functions anymore, its consequences are catastrophic for one's health.

 Liver failure might be a result of long-term diseases like:

• Cirrhosis: Sclerosis of liver tissue to a degree that the liver stops all its functions.
• Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver, secondary to viral infection in most cases.
• Alcoholic liver disease: Long-standing liver injury caused by alcohol.
• Liver cancer: The production of malignancy in liver cells.

Once the liver has gone to the point where it is no longer able to continue with its essential activities further, anything short of liver transplantation maintains the patient alive.

Pre-Transplant Evaluation

Pre-transplant evaluation is done on the patients before liver transplant surgery. It is a process required to scrutinize the overall health of the patient & verify if he/she is strong enough to go through the process of surgery or not. 

Certain parameters are taken into account while performing the evaluation process, some of which are:

• Medical history: The physician keeps a check on the patient's medical history to understand the reason why the liver failed.
• Physical examination: The patient is put through a thorough physical examination to understand the overall health condition of the patient.
• Blood work: Blood is taken to be tested to understand the functioning of the liver & overall health, for instance, liver enzyme level, blood coagulation, & organ function.
• Radiological investigations: Ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI is done to see the size, shape, & location of the liver & if there can be any kind of complication or not.

After all these tests & scans are done, the hospital administration will decide if the patient needs to be operated upon or not & put him or her on the waiting list for liver transplantation accordingly.

The Liver Transplant Surgery

Liver transplant treatment surgery is a highly technical & specialized procedure that requires specialized doctors & effective medical personnel. The operation typically consists of the following:

• Anesthesia: General anaesthetics are given to the patient so that he or she is put to sleep & feels no pain throughout the operation.
• Incision: A large incision in the stomach area is made such that access to the liver is facilitated.
• Removal of Infected Liver: The physician removes the infected liver by closing off all of the blood vessels needed. 
• Donor Liver Implantation: The recipient liver is implanted in the body of the patient. The physician then establishes the blood vessels & bile ducts to deliver maximum blood supply & drainage of the bile.

The procedure takes about 6 to 12 hours, based on the type of procedure.

Post-Transplant Care & Recovery

The patient will be held in the ICU for several days following liver transplant treatment to monitor for complications & adequate liver function of the new liver. 

Post-transplantation care includes:

• Immunosuppressive Drugs: To keep the body from rejecting the new liver, the patients receive immunosuppressive drugs that suppress the immune system's working capacity to reject the transplant organ. 
• Monitoring: Regular blood work & imaging studies are done to check the working of the liver & for any indication of rejection or infection.
• Physical Rehabilitation: Gradually mobilize & exercise to restore strength & endurance after treatment, the patients are told.

Long-Term Care & Follow-Up

The ride is not finished once the surgery is completed. Post-transplantation care over the long term is also needed for the success of liver transplantation. This includes periodic visits to the transplant unit for follow-up, tests, & screenings. The patient's medication regimen might also need to be modified in the long term, & the complications (infection or organ rejection) must be treated on time.

Liver Transplant Treatment in India

Liver Transplant Treatment in India has ample options as one of the most popular destinations for liver transplant treatment because the country has well-equipped hospitals, highly trained medical specialists, & fairly low prices compared to other countries. India has several experienced hospitals with liver transplant expertise & offers high-quality treatment at low rates. Some of the top hospitals are:

• Medanta Liver Transplant Program (Gurgaon)
• Global Hospitals (Mumbai & Chennai)
• Fortis Escorts Heart Institute (New Delhi)

They possess the newest liver transplant beds with the newest equipment & highly experienced doctors. They offer end-to-end treatment from pre-transplant assessment to post-transplant follow-up, because of which India has become a place where patients from all across the globe travel.

Conclusion

Liver transplant is a life-saving technological management for patients with end-stage liver disease. The operation is carried out stepwise in the form of pre-transplant assessment, donor retrieval, operation, & post-operative care. The development of medical technology & the availability of skilled surgeons have encouraged liver transplantations to become more frequent, particularly in nations like India. If you or any of your relatives will be having a liver transplant, being informed regarding the operation & surgery to be performed will make the decision less complex & cause it to serve your best interests.

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