Gleneagles Global Hospitals, Bengaluru successfully completes 200 liver transplants

GGH, Bengaluru has performed the highest number of liver transplants in Karnataka

Bangalore, January 29, 2019: BGS Gleneagles Global Hospital is currently host to the busiest transplant program in Karnataka with 200 successful Liver transplants in 9 years. They currently average 2-3 liver transplants a month. Since inception, the team has also managed the most number of multi-organ transplants in Karnataka including 8 Liver-Kidney and 9 Kidney-Pancreas transplants. BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals has an experienced team performing a high number of living donor Liver Transplants. In 2018, the team of doctors performed 29 transplants, including 14 living donor liver transplants, with a success rate of over 93%.

Commenting on the milestone, Dr Sanjay Govil, Senior Consultant and Head, Department of HPB Surgery and Liver Transplantation, BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals, Bengaluru said, “The transplant programme at Gleneagles Global Hospitals is the longest running liver transplant program in Karnataka. This has been possible because organ transplantation has been a core focus of this hospital group. Over the years, we have built our team and expertise in multi organ transplantations in order to serve this category of patients better. Being a community centric hospital, this program is predominantly for patients from Karnataka. From the onset, we have collaborated with Jeevasarthakathe to raise awareness on cadaver donations. Our transplant program is one of the few that has a healthy balance of living donors and cadaveric donors. We have worked tirelessly to reduce costs for low risk patients and help others raise funds to finance their transplants.”

Dr Sanjay Govil leads a team of doctors with extensive experience in managing liver diseases and transplants. The team includes Dr Suresh Raghavaiah, Consultant, HPB & Multi Organ Transplantation, Dr Jayanth Reddy, Consultant, Multi Organ Transplants and Dr Sandeep Satsangi, Consultant, Hepatologist and Liver Transplantation.

As a pioneer in liver transplant facilities, the hospital employs a skilled team that undertakes living donor, cadaver, paediatric, swap and part-liver transplant surgeries amongst others. The department of liver transplantations offers transplant services for primarily two diseases: Acute Liver Failure and Liver Cancer.

The tale of a 26 year old male, who was diagnosed with urinary bladder tuberculosis, is one such complex case that benefited from a liver transplant. On initial diagnosis, he was started on Anti Tubercular Therapy at a peripheral hospital. Unfortunately, he had a severe reaction to the ATT drugs causing his liver to fail. This dangerous condition called Acute Liver Failure or ALF led to rapid onset of jaundice. The mortality rate of ALF is between 56% and 80%. He was referred to the doctors at BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals where the team decided that the best course of treatment would be to arrange for an emergency liver transplant. They luckily found a match in the patient’s cousin who chose to donate a part of his liver. The surgery that took place in early 2018 went off without a hitch. Today, both the donor and recipient are doing extremely well and the patient has gone back to a normal life.

Another case is that of a 46 year old housewife from Tumkur who initially presented with jaundice and abdominal distension with accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal activity, increased weight, abdominal discomfort and shortness of breath. She was diagnosed with Autoimmune Hepatitis and was on regular treatment. Unfortunately, a sudden flare up in the disease caused her to go into a coma with rapidly rising bilirubin levels. The daughter was found to be a match and she decided to donate her liver. The surgery that took place in 2017 went off smoothly. The mother and daughter are now doing well.

Such cases and many more highlight the importance of timely intervention and prompt treatment in treating critically ill patients with liver disease.

“There are several factors that have led to the establishment of a sustained and active liver transplant program in our hospital. This was made possible with the vision of our chairman Dr Ravindranath. We have a team comprising of highly skilled liver transplant surgeons, hepatologists, specialized anaesthetists and intensive care experts. Dedicated and specially trained nurses, clinical coordinators and grief counsellors provide integral support. Equally important is the availability of the latest medical equipment in the market, to treat critically ill patients. Notably, BGS Gleneagles Global Hospital is the only hospital in Karnataka with a dedicated liver ICU where all forms of advanced liver diseases are being managed most effectively.” said Ms Shailaja Suresh, Chief Executive Officer, Gleneagles Global Hospitals, Bengaluru.

Liver transplantation is the only treatment that offers long term survival for patients with end stage liver failure or liver cancer. In India, a large number of people suffer from liver disease due to either viral hepatitis, alcohol liver disease or as a consequence of fatty liver disease. Living donor transplants are still the predominant option in our country. While awareness initiatives on organ donation have had a role to play in increasing the number of cadaver donors, it is still not sufficient. Cadaver donors should be the option of the future and the realisation that one donor could potentially save multiple lives is what will help treat numerous other critically ill patients.