Thiruvananthapuram MCH performs living donor liver transplant successfully

The Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Thiruvananthapuram, performed a living donor liver transplant successfully on Thursday, the second government MCH in Kerala to perform such a surgery successfully.

A team of transplant surgeons from KIMSHEALTH and Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences ably assisted the surgical team at the MCH

The patient, a 53-year-old from Malappuram who had been ailing due to liver cirrhosis and malignancy following NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), received the liver from a close relative of his. He is now recuperating in the Transplant ICU. He will continue to be under close monitoring for the next two weeks till his liver function normalises, said a press release issued by the office of Health Minister Veena George here.

A 50-member team, including faculty members of the Surgical Gastroenterology, Anaesthesiology, Medical Gastroenterology, Radiology and other departments, theatre staff and technicians were involved in the conduct of the transplant.

The government has been trying to get the public sector medical colleges equipped to conduct liver transplant surgeries, which is unaffordable to most. The Kottayam MCH has performed three liver transplants so far, all from living donors, with help from experts in private sector hospitals. The Kozhikode MCH is also being equipped to perform liver transplants.

Though the Thiruvananthapuram MCH has performed a liver transplant years ago, the recipient had died soon following complications. Following this, it was decided that a complicated procedure such as liver transplant may be attempted again only after ensuring that the hospital had dedicated transplant-care facilities, including separate ICUs and a trained transplant team.

Ms. George, in her statement, congratulated the transplant team and said this was a major achievement for the institution.