Liver Transplantation Surgery

Liver Transplant in Bangalore

Manipal Hospitals Sarjapur Road, Bangalore, offers liver transplant surgery to patients with liver failure. This life-saving procedure involves replacing a diseased liver with a healthy liver from a donor. There are two main types of liver transplants, which are Deceased Donor Liver Transplant, which involves using a liver from a recently deceased person. Blood and tissue compatibility is carefully checked to ensure the best possible outcome, and a Living Donor Liver Transplant, which is considered the better option, this procedure uses part of a matching liver from a living donor, usually a relative. Our team of experienced surgeons and medical staff will guide you through the entire process, ensuring you receive the expert care and support you need.

OUR STORY

Know About Us

Why Manipal?

Choosing Manipal Hospitals Sarjapur Road, Bangalore, ensures access to premium medical services. And when medical experts are empowered with state-of-the-art technology, complex procedures like liver transplants can be done easily.

Manipal Hospitals runs a Liver Transplant in Bangalore, which is the largest of its kind in the country. There is a dedicated team for this program, including - doctors, hepatologists, gastroenterologists, surgeons, nurses, and other paramedical staff. The entire team takes care of the patient and the patient’s family throughout the process. We are there 24/7 with the patients for their assistance and care before, during, and after the procedure.

The easy accessibility to our specialists and a robust support structure ensure a seamless healthcare journey. Hosting patient-centric and comprehensive expertise under one roof ensures the patient can avail more multiple opinions. Various patient surveys reflect the trust and satisfaction vested in Manipal Hospitals Sarjapur Road, Bangalore, by patients and their families.

When is Liver Transplant Suggested?

A liver transplant in Bangalore is the last option for patients with end-stage liver disease or acute liver failure. The liver is very resilient. Liver diseases show signs and symptoms only after 60-70% of it gets damaged. Signs and symptoms to watch out for are:

Discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen signalling liver inflammation
Signs of liver dysfunction include passing of dark or cola-colored urine, encephalopathy, persistent itching, ascites and jaundice
Blood in the vomit (hematemesis) or passage of black stools
Feeling very tired and weak all-day
Unexplained weight loss

Living Donor Liver Transplant

A living donor liver transplant replaces a sick person's failing liver with part of a healthy person's liver. It has advantages over waiting for a deceased donor liver transplant. Patients don't have to wait as long for an organ. This helps people with quickly worsening liver disease or sudden liver failure. They get treatment faster. Also, the healthy donor's liver graft works better than a deceased donor's liver.

Transplant and Post-Operative Care

Before the actual surgery, a preoperative evaluation of the patient is done. This involves various blood tests and imaging to check the health status. If we get a donor, the donor is evaluated for blood and tissue matching for suitability for the patient. If the patient is going for a deceased donor transplant, then the donor organ is allocated by organ procurement organizations (OPOs) and transplant centres. Getting an organ donor depends on factors such as blood type, tissue compatibility, medical urgency, and waiting list priority. Following a transplant, post-op care is of critical importance for the recipient's recovery and long-term health.

Surgical Procedure

Deceased Liver Removal: At the doctor’s hospital/operation theatre, a dissection is done to retrieve the healthy liver. After removal, the donor's liver is immediately cooled using a cold saline solution. It is packed in a sterile container with ice packs to slow down metabolism and reduce damage as much as possible. To preserve the viability of the organ, it is also flushed with organ preservatives. Now, while maintaining the temperature and viability, the liver is transported to the recipient's hospital/operation theatre, where the team is ready with the patient to perform the transplant. All this is done as fast as possible to minimise damage to the donor's liver.
Live Donor Liver Retrieval: Liver regenerates. So, only a part of the donor's liver is precisely removed. This surgery is called partial hepatectomy.
Recipient Liver transplant surgery: Surgeons remove the diseased liver from the patient under general anaesthesia. It is then replaced by implanting a new healthy liver from a deceased or living donor. The surgical team carefully re-connects the blood vessels and bile duct of the donor's liver to the blood vessels and bile duct of the patient. This is done to make sure that there is proper blood flow and bile drainage.

Post-op Care - Post-op care is important for a successful recovery and healthy life ahead. Key elements of post-op care include:

1. The hospital stay for the recipient is around 7-14 days in which the patient is placed in the ICU for initial days to check for organ rejection, infection, and pain management. For the donor, the hospital stay is less, around 1 week. They are given pain medications. They are also encouraged to increase their activity gradually.

2. Immunosuppressant medications are given to the recipient. Otherwise, the body might reject the organ from the donor. Therefore, the immune system needs to be suppressed.

3. As the immunity weakens, there is an increased risk of infection, and any infection or toxins can damage the new liver. So, patients are advised to wear a mask outside their home and carefully follow all the safety measures like hand washing.

Patients have to stick to the medication schedules.
Patients are strictly advised to refrain from smoking and alcohol consumption, as they may lead to failure of a new liver.
Patients are educated on the probable signs and symptoms and when to seek medical attention with your team.
Proper nutrition and fluid balance are crucial for recovery.
Regular check-ups are necessary. Doctors can determine complications that arise early and act accordingly. This ensures the long-term success of the procedure.

Whipple Procedure

It is a complex surgical intervention. It is mostly done in cases of pancreatic cancer located in the head of the pancreas. The Whipple procedure is also called a pancreaticoduodenectomy, as it involves the removal of the head of the pancreas with the duodenum. A portion of the bile duct, gall bladder and surrounding lymph nodes is also removed. Now, this procedure can be performed in different ways:

Traditional/Open Surgery
Minimally Invasive: Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery

Traditional or Open Method: After general anaesthesia, doctors make an incision in the abdomen to reach the pancreas. The surgeon then locates and ties off blood vessels supplying the pancreas. Then, they remove the cancerous part of the pancreas, some of the duodenum, and the bile duct. After removing a major part of the duct, reconstruction is done by joining the remaining pancreas to the digestive system. The bile duct is repaired, and bile flow is maintained. The small intestine is also rejoined to restore digestion. With reconstruction done, the incision is closed with sutures or staples, and surgical dressings are applied.

In some cases, depending on the extension of the disease and the skill, expertise, and experience of the surgeon the open approach is used for complete tumour removal. At Manipal Hospital, we offer traditional open, laparoscopic, and robotic options. Minimally invasive techniques aim to reduce surgical trauma for a quicker recovery.

Laparoscopic Whipple Procedure: This procedure involves making small cuts on the abdomen. Thin tubes called trocars are inserted into the abdomen through these small cuts. A laparoscope, a thin, flexible tube with a camera, is inserted through one incision to visualise the surgical field. Surgical instruments are inserted through the remaining tubes to dissect the diseased tissues. The resected tissues are removed through one of the incisions. Reconstruction is performed using the same techniques. The small incisions are closed with sutures or staples, and dressings are applied.

With smaller incisions, this technique offers fewer post-operative complications. There will be less pain, a shorter recovery time, and fewer days in the hospital.

Robotic Whipple Procedure: Similar to laparoscopic surgery, surgeons make small incisions in the abdomen, and trocars are inserted to access the abdominal cavity. However, in robot-assisted surgery, the surgical instruments are mounted on robotic arms. These arms are then inserted through the trocars and controlled by the surgeon from a console at all times. The robotic arms remove the resected tissues. Reconstruction is also performed using robotic assistance. The surgical site is then closed with sutures or staples, and dressings are applied.

Robotic assistance increases dexterity. A high-definition 3D camera provides magnified, detailed visualisation of the surgical field, allowing for precise dissection and resection of tissues. This is a minimally invasive surgical technique that provides all the benefits of laparoscopic surgery and additional benefits such as faster recovery, minimal scarring, less chance of post-operative complications, and a shorter hospital stay.

Post-Op Care

Following the Whipple procedure, the patient is transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) to closely monitor the patient's vitals and look for signs of any infection, fistula or other complications. Post-op care after the procedure involves:

Managing pain with medications
Administering fluids and nutrition intravenously
Encouraging early mobility to prevent blood clots.
Gradually adding solid foods. Initially, the patient is kept only on fluids.
Regular follow-up appointments are very important so that doctors can detect if any complications arise in the early stages.

Liver Transplant in Bangalore - Living Donor Liver Transplant

Facilities & Services

At Manipal Hospitals Sarjapur Road, Bangalore, we are well-equipped to provide advanced liver transplant services. We offer comprehensive facilities and services for liver transplant surgery, including the following:

A dedicated team of transplant surgeons. With hepatologists, anesthesiologists, nurses, and other paramedical staff, we have a team that is experienced and is available 24/7 to the patient.

High-tech operating theatres, intensive care units (ICUs), and transplant recovery units. With this, we also have robotic surgical systems, which support robot-assisted liver transplant procedures.

Manipal Hospitals provides a broad choice of diagnostic facilities. Tests in the lab, such as CT, MRI, and ultrasounds, can all occur together.

Our team checks potential living donors thoroughly. This ensures they are suitable for donation.

The hospital's transplant team works with organ procurement groups. They assist in allocating deceased donor organs and transplanting them.

We offer full care after a Liver Transplant in Bangalore. Our team helps recipients with rehab therapy and long follow-ups.

Liver Transplantation Surgery

Liver Transplant in Bangalore