On what aspects does the success of liver transplants depend?

 Our body comprises 78 organs, trillions of cells, and many extracellular materials. Among these 78 organs, there are 5 major organs important for our survival. One of them is the liver. The liver is the second largest organ of our body, followed by the skin. It is one of the most efficient and hard-working organs present in our body. The number of functions performed by a liver in a single day is tremendous, and our survival would come at stake if the liver fails to carry out any of these functions. Conditions such as hepatitis, alcoholic hepatic liver diseases, genetic disorders, fatty liver disease, etc., lead to the malfunction of the liver. The normal functions like metabolization, detoxification, synthesis of proteins, nutrient and mineral supply, digestion, etc., are all hampered in these end-stage liver ailments. Sometimes, to some extent, these liver ailments can be cured with liver dialysis, but it is not a permanent cure.

The most efficient and effective treatment for these end-stage liver ailments is liver transplantation. But liver transplantation is an invasive procedure, so a lot of factors should be taken into consideration before going for a final decision. These factors include the cost of liver transplant in India, liver failure cause, the success rate of liver transplantation, and many more. Liver transplantation is the replacement of the diseased portion with a healthy one. The most important point in the midst of these is finding the perfect donor. The donor can be anyone, a deceased person or a living being, but the prime requisite in both is that the donor should be a perfect match with the recipient. Let us discuss liver transplantation and other factors that should be considered before going for a liver transplantation procedure. 

What is a liver transplant, and who needs it? 

Surgery performed in liver ailment patients. The diseased portion of the liver is replaced with a healthy liver received from another person. The whole liver can be transplanted, or just one part is to be replaced, decided by the surgeons. Mostly, the healthy liver is received from the person who has just died, but nowadays, many living donor organ transplantations are preferred. The organ is received from a living person, where only a portion of the liver is replaced. The liver is gifted with a peculiar feature. Being one of the largest organs, it also can repair its damage that is the power of regeneration. This power of regeneration helps the liver repair its damages if they happen to a certain extent, but when this damage reaches beyond control, it leads to end-stage liver ailments. The patient suffering from end-stage liver diseases can face many life-threatening situations if not treated on time. A liver transplant is a boon for such patients. End-stage liver conditions like liver cirrhosis, acute hepatic necrosis, biliary atresia, viral hepatitis, metabolic disorders, autoimmune hepatitis, and primary liver cancers can be treated with liver transplantation.

Liver transplant success and survival rate 

After kidney, liver transplantation is the second most practised organ transplantation procedure in India. It is an invasive in-hospital treatment procedure with tremendous success and survival rate. It has been noticed that the success and survival rate in a well-equipped transplant centre is almost 95 per cent. This means that if 100 patients are treated with liver transplantation, then 95 of them have been discharged in a healthy and happy state. Risk is associated with each and every surgical procedure. The success and survival rate are determined by reducing these risk factors and assuring the patient a better quality of life. Almost 3-5% of the risk is associated with the technically complex procedure. The major threat is posed by infection and organ rejection. Besides these, the long-term success rate in liver transplantation is also very remarkable. In 60-70% of cases, a 15-20 years survival rate can be expected in subsequent years after the surgery. The patients can resume their normal life in 2 months and can assure full recovery in 3-6 months. 

Factors affecting the success rate of the surgery

Every person is different, and so is the response to the surgery. The liver transplantation success rate, an individual’s chance of surviving after the surgery depends on many factors, which vary according to each individual. These factors include age, body mass index, underlying health problems, the severity of the liver failure and the severity of diseases, cause of the liver failure, and medical history of the patients. It was found that the long-term survival rate was significantly low in old age patients. The same goes for the case of patients with increased BMI and obese patients. The cause of liver failure also plays a major role. As per a study conducted in 2013, children and adults whose liver transplantation is due to genetic conditions have a higher survival rate than those whose liver was affected by infections or lifestyle choices. 

Along with the preoperative care and surgical success, the patients have to incorporate many lifestyle changes to maintain the health of their liver. Having a healthful, balanced diet after the surgery and Staying hydrated is very important. Refrain yourself from smoking and drinking to increase the survival rate. Take the medications as prescribed and be safe from any infections. Healthcare professionals and others are working in this field to give the liver ailment patient the best quality of life and liver health. So take this gift and take your step towards a healthy and a happy life.