An Overview of Liver Transplant and Its Complications

Introduction

The liver is one of the vital organs located below the rib cage and helps in diverse body functioning such as regulation of blood clotting, maintenance of healthy diabetic level, proper metabolism and detoxification functioning in your body. But sometimes a person might experience liver failure or critical damages to the liver due to multiple reasons such as excessive alcohol consumption, viruses, poor nutrition, and various other factors.\

In cases like this, the Doctors might recommend Liver Transplant in India as the final option for the person to survive without any complications. However, permanent damage caused to the liver can lead to chronic stages, where patients might need immediate surgical treatment for best results.

Details about liver transplant

The surgical procedure will be performed by the Best liver transplant surgeon in India to restore a healthier liver cut from a donor and replace the deceased one. Most of the time the liver donor would be a person who has recently died and further possessed a healthy liver during the time of his demise. Liver Transplant is recommended as the ultimate treatment option for patients struggling with terminal-stage liver disease and has gained positive acceptance in India in recent years.

 A healthy living person can also donate a portion of his or her liver for the patient who requires liver transplantation. Usually, a family member or blood-related person is considered the best choice because the Indian Organ Donation Laws supports only related organ donations and restricts donations done for monetary benefits.

Donating a portion of your liver will never hinder your healthy lifestyle as you can still live a quality healthy life with the remaining portion of the liver. The liver is the only magical organ that can restore damaged or dead tissue. The cut portion from the donor’s liver will be regenerated soon after the transplantation to its normal capacity.

Who needs a liver transplant?

Since the liver is a vital organ and its failure could stop you from leading a normal healthy life, liver transplantation is the best choice. We have shortlisted valuable information about primary reasons for any person to become eligible for liver transplantation:

• Doctors may recommend liver transplantation if you are suffering from the last stages of liver breakdown, life-threatening diseases and chronic failure of the liver. 
• Another reason that leads to a liver transplant is critical cirrhosis disease, which is caused by the replacement of healthy tissues in the liver with damaged tissues. 
• Acute hepatic necrosis is a critical condition where the liver tissues die because of various factors like toxins, drugs, adverse effects of medicines or infections etc.
• Hepatitis C or Hepatitis B 
• Biliary atresia is an uncommon liver disease that happens in newborns.
• Cancer tumors are present in the liver.

Complications encountered after liver transplant

Studies have revealed that post-surgery patients might face diverse ranges of complications immediately or after some period of the surgery. Therefore, they are categorised as two different divisions namely the Immediate complications and Long term complications.

Immediate liver transplant complications

• Immediate Complications include some technical issues such as blood clotting in the hepatic artery that provides blood to the liver. 
• The new liver might experience rejection because the immune system considers the new organ to be an unhealthy and dangerous virus. Doctors will be prescribing drugs for treating rejection.
• These antirejection medications might trigger certain side effects causing infections but will be reduced with time and also can be treated easily.
• Patients can also experience certain medical issues like hemodynamic alterations, kidney issues and respiratory problems.

Long term liver transplant complications

1. Chronic liver rejection
Even after more than 6 months the new liver might be rejected and cause critical issues in the patient’s health condition. However, the success rate of liver transplantation in India is considerably higher. Consult with your liver transplant surgeon in India earliest for a better cure.

2. Kidney failure
Another complication that can occur after the liver transplant is chronic kidney failure. This might be due to calcineurin inhibitors usage during the transplant surgery. By evaluating the functioning of the kidney and properly treating it with drugs can reduce the complication risk.

3. Diabetic issues
In some cases, the patients can generate a diabetes mellitus condition after the liver transplant because of the immunosuppressive medications used. 

4. Arterial Hypertension
This issue is one of the most commonly occurring complications in the long run. However, studies have revealed that this condition might reduce once the immunosuppressive medications usage has been terminated after a few months of the surgery. 

5. Bone damages
Since chronic infections in the liver can traumatically weaken the bones, it has been observed that patients might experience fractures in ribs and vertebrae bones after the liver transplant surgery. 

Research has confirmed the fact that though liver transplant surgery remains a complicated procedure, the advancements made in the medical world blended with well-qualified doctors and surgeons have treated the complications and increased the survival rates considerably. With medical tourism in India gaining lots of popularity, Vanya health has emerged as one of the leading teleconsultation companies. If you experience any complication symptoms you can immediately consult with the best liver transplant surgeons in India as recommended by ‘Vanya health’ the best Tele Consultation in India and be relieved permanently from all your health issues. Stay connected with a healthy smile!