NL Corresspondent
Jammu Tawi: Marengo CIMS Hospital Ahmedabad performs successfully the most complex organ transplants and is recognized for its optimized clinical and survival outcomes. The healthcare provider is one of the few hospitals to offer heart, lung, liver, kidney, and bone marrow transplants under a single roof. With a significant number of liver transplants under its belt, Marengo CIMS Hospital has emerged as a preferred destination in western India for this high-end surgery. The team of liver transplants in the hospital is led by Dr Punit Singla, Clinical Director, Liver Transplant & Surgical Gastroenterology, Marengo Asia Hospitals.
Assessing the factors that lead to end-stage liver diseases that result in the patients requiring transplants most of the time is alcohol consumption. Besides leading to serious health issues, alcohol consumption is a major cause of liver damage. The liver is a vital organ responsible for various functions such as detoxification, metabolism, and the production of proteins. Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to several liver conditions such as fatty liver diseases, alcoholic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis etc.
Dr. Punit Singla, Clinical Director, Liver Transplant & Surgical Gastroenterology says, “One of the major causes for end-stage liver damage is unregulated consumption of alcohol. Fatty liver disease is an early stage of liver damage where there is a significant accumulation of fat in the liver cells. While fatty liver may be a reversible condition, alcohol abuse can lead to an irreversible stage where nothing else but a transplant remains the only option for a patient. Alcoholic hepatitis is another factor that leads to a transplant. Inflammation caused by excessive alcohol intake can lead to liver failure. There could be an occurrence of jaundice, abdominal pain, and fever that could herald the start of liver failure.”
Liver damage can also be caused by factors like viral infections (hepatitis B and C), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), autoimmune hepatitis, cirrhosis, and certain genetic conditions.
Liver transplantation is a complex but effective treatment for end-stage liver disease. The success of the procedure depends on various factors, including the patient's overall health, the availability of a suitable donor, and post-transplant care. Liver transplants can offer numerous benefits to patients with acute liver failure. The surgery is a life-saving treatment for people who suffer from end-stage liver disease for improved quality of life, increased longevity, restoration of liver functions, return to normal activities, psychosocial benefits, prevention of further complications, and above all, an opportunity for a fresh start.
Patient survival after deceased donor liver transplant largely mirrored that of graft survival, exceeding 90%. Currently, more than 1800 liver transplants (LT) are performed in India annually. In 2020, over 30 percent of patients listed for transplants had alcohol-related liver disease, more than any other single diagnosis. Most candidates for liver transplantation have irreversible cirrhosis caused by years of heavy alcohol consumption. Other types of liver disease are on the rise, like nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is related to obesity, diabetes, and/or metabolic syndrome.
