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FAQ’s on Paediatric Liver Transplantation

October 24, 2019

FAQ’s on Paediatric Liver Transplantation
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Surgery that involves replacing a diseased liver with a healthy one taken from another individual is called a liver transplant. The healthy liver could be donated by one who has just died or a part of a healthy living person’s liver could be donated too. He is called a living donor.

living donor can be a family member or someone not related but has the same blood type as the child. Donors of livers continue to lead healthy lives with the remaining liver they have. The donor’s liver grows back within a few months to normal size. Even the child with a part of a healthy liver can grow it to normal size.

Amongst Children, Who is Eligible for a Liver Transplant?

Children who have been diagnosed with terminal stage liver disease are the ideal candidates for a liver transplant. Children who suffer from biliary atresia and terminal stage liver disease are ideal candidates.

How Do Doctors Decide If a Child Needs a Liver Transplant?

Doctors put the child through a battery of tests before deciding to resort to a Liver Transplant.

What Does a Pre-Transplant Evaluation Process Include?

At this stage, the child’s body systems are checked thoroughly. His immunization records are also reviewed. The tests conducted at this stage include:

  • An extensive nutritional assessment
  • Blood and urine tests
  • ECG, CT scan and a chest X-ray

What is the Duration of the Operation?

Normally, a liver transplant goes on for eight to 12 hours. For the donor, the operation lasts about six hours.

What Complications Can Arise During Surgery?

Paediatric liver transplants can meet with complications, just as any other surgery can. These complications are blood clots, bleeding, malfunctioning donor liver and breathing issues. Rejection of the new liver by the child’s immune system and infection are also common.

How Long Does a Child Need to Recover After a Liver Transplant?

After surgery, the child is usually taken to transplant ICU where he will stay for a week. He is then transferred to the pediatric floor and examined. Then, his length of stay will be determined based on his recovery. Normally, the child’s stay in a hospital after a liver transplant is about three weeks.

Should a Child Undergoing Surgery be Given any Specific Medication at Home?

There are two types of medication such a child is given, apart from health supplements and multivitamins in order that his immune system does not reject the new liver. If he misses a dose, his doctor should be immediately informed.

Should the Child be Brought to Hospital Once He is Discharged?

Initially, he will need to visit the transplant clinic twice a week or more for tests and a check-up. Once he shows improvement, he will not be asked to come in so frequently.

In Whose Care Will the Child Be in the Long Term?

The primary paediatrician and his support team will take care of the child.

Will the Child Be Restricted from Doing Certain Things After Being Discharged?

For the first six weeks after being discharged from hospital, he should refrain from doing heavy exercises.

Are There Any Lifestyle Changes That the Child Must Observe?

About six months after surgery, the child will return to a normal lifestyle. He should stay away from people with infections, eat a healthy diet and continue to take the medicines prescribed by his doctor. He may return to school and participate in games and activities suited to his age. As an adult, he can lead a normal life. When he marries, he need not worry about having any fertility issues.

For Children Who Undergo Liver Transplants, what is the Survival Rate?

The survival rate of children undergoing liver transplants is said to be 82%.

 

Why Rela Hospital?

Advantages/Expertise

With the singular vision and leadership of Prof. Rela, the Paediatric Liver Transplantation Program at Rela Hospital, Chennai was incepted. Over the past few years, the success it has shown has garnered not just smiles of satisfaction among the medical staff here but also the trust of the parents of the little patients.

The need for more intensive care beds for paediatric liver patients, a brand-new facility was created. Here, over 60 transplants are done successfully every year. It is now regarded as the largest liver transplant centre in South Asia and the best living donor liver transplant hospital in India.

As yet, over 300 children underwent liver transplantation at Rela Hospital, Chennai. This points to the fact that the number of people who have faith in our abilities is slowly but surely climbing. And, we are happy to note that.

Rela Hospital’s Liver Transplant program is spearheaded by Prof Mohamed Rela, world-renowned liver transplant surgeon and among the Top living donor liver transplant surgeons in India. He is known for performing a liver transplant on a five-day-old child which earned him an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2000. You can also depend on it for providing living donor liver transplantation in India.

His experience of over 25 years and 3000 liver transplantations take him to be an expert and authority in this dynamic and challenging specialization. He was recognized as one of the 20 most innovative paediatric surgeons of today by Top Master’s in Healthcare Administration.

He has, to his credit, over 500 articles and reviews written on the topic of liver transplantation & HPB in internationally acclaimed peer-reviewed journals. He has also written 19 book chapters and has an inclusion of one chapter in every medical college student’s handbook, the prestigious Gray’s Anatomy. He was the first Indian to chair the Paediatric Committee of the International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS). He is also a prominent council member of the Living Donor Liver Transplantation Study Group.

With internationally trained surgeons and doctors, cutting-edge technology and caring support staff, Rela Hospital is recognized as a hospital committed to the welfare of its patients—whether children or adults. It also offers specialized care in all medical specialities with commitment and feeling.

Rela Hospital is one of the finest hospitals specializing in paediatric liver transplantation and after-care. To know more about it, give the hospital a call on +91 9384681770.

Disclaimer: We recommend consulting a Doctor before taking any action based on the above shared information.


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