Pune: A 7-year-old girl, with serious liver ailment, can now lead a normal life, thanks to the transplant of the crucial organ taken through donation from a 10-year-old brain-dead child.
The extremely difficult transplant operation on Baby Sreya (name changed) was carried out successfully by an expert team of doctors at Jupiter Hospital here.
Sreya has recovered well and was discharged within 2 weeks after liver transplant, according to a press statement issued by the Hospital.
It said Sreya was found to have increasing jaundice starting from 6 weeks of age.
A thorough diagnosis and systematic assessment showed that the baby was suffering from a rare congenital liver disease called ‘Biliary Atresia’ where there are no bile ducts in the liver from birth, the statement said.
In babies with biliary atresia, the flow of bile from liver to intestine is blocked, which can lead to liver damage and cirrhosis of the liver, a deadly ailment if not treated.
It is not known what causes the condition.
Sharing details of the case, Dr. Vishnu Biradar, Paediatric Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist, Jupiter Hospital, Pune said, “Baby Sreya came to us around the age of 5 with complaints of jaundice, weakness and most importantly growth failure.”
He said the child had “started decompensating and in the absence of a cure for the ailment, we offered them (parents of the child) the option of liver transplant.”
Unfortunately, her parents and family members were not fit for a liver donation, the doctor said, adding the family was then suggested a cadaveric liver transplant option.
Though, the chances of a suitable liver were slim, the patient was listed for a cadaveric donor, the statement said.
With luck by her side, the yearlong wait for Sreya ended in the first week of November 2022 with a whole liver donated by the family of a brain-dead child who met with an accident.
Sharing details of the surgery, Dr. Manoj Shrivastava, Consultant – Transplant Surgeon, Jupiter Hospital, Pune said, “Surgery was technically challenging due to previous surgery, small size of blood vessels and bile ducts, and a possibility of size mis-match.
“Besides, the difference in weight and age presented difficulty in placing the liver in the abdominal cavity. However, the large size of the previous liver and fluid in the stomach helped to close the abdomen without any complications.”
“The surgery went on for 8 hours, and though it was technically challenging but well experienced team effort handled the challenges efficiently and the child was later shifted to transplant intensive care unit.”
Post-operative she was managed in liver transplant intensive care unit, by Dr. Sushil Kumar Yadav.
Dr. Rajendra Patankar, CEO, Jupiter Hospital, Pune said, “This was possible due to the brave decision of the parents of a 10-year-old kid who consented to donate his organs when he met with an accident. The patient has recovered well and discharged within 2 weeks post liver transplant.”
Recently, we have completed more than 25 paediatric liver transplants in patients less than 16 years of age and more than 110 adult liver transplants at Jupiter Hospital Pune, he added.
According to the doctors’ team at Jupiter, Sreya will be able to lead a normal life without any further issues.
