Liver transplant is a surgical process in which the diseased liver from the recipient’s body is replaced with the healthy liver of the donor. The liver is a vital organ of the human body, which means one cannot live without it. The person donating the liver has to donate a part of it, as much as 60 percent, which is used to replace the recipient’s diseased liver. The part of the liver removed from the donor regenerates completely in 30 days and the same time is required for the recipient’s liver to recover.
Liver transplantation can be a risky process, but at the same time, there are many benefits, such as one can save his/her life by replacing their diseased or infected liver with a healthy liver. Let us see in detail all the benefits and risks that are involved in liver transplants.
Benefits-
Gifting Life by Donating Liver-
The most important benefit of liver transplantation from a donor’s perspective is to gift a new life for patients with end-stage liver failure. Many people suffer from acute liver diseases, which cannot be cured or controlled. This can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure. They need a liver transplant to replace their diseased liver with a part of a healthy liver. If you donate a liver, it will help some people to live their life for a few more years. There is a huge waiting list for the donors who are willing to donate their liver. You can free up a liver for someone else who is on the waiting list.
Regeneration of Liver-
Unlike other body parts, the liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself. You may worry that donating a part of your liver will affect the functioning of your body. But itgrows back to its original size and quickly and works as it was before the transplant. The livers start regenerating almost after the surgery is completed and it gets to its normal size in almost 6-7 weeks. It does not affect its functionality, or it usually does not create any other health issues.
Easy Liver Transplant-
Livers of living donors are outside the body for less time than from someone who died. That’s why transplants from living donors go much smoother than from dead donors. Although the result of the transplant from living donors than from someone who has died is the same, it is still recommended to replace liver from living donors.
Expenses Covered by Insurance-
If you are going to be a liver donor, you do not have to worry about the expenses. The health insurance of the person who is getting new liver covers all the expenses of the donor, including surgery, follow-up care, and pre-transplant evaluations.
Risks-
Technical Complications-
Liver transplant includes the joining of arteries, veins, and bile ducts of the liver from the donor’s body to the recipient’s body. These joints are very difficult to perform, particularly the arteries are very thin and narrow, which creates complication in stitching the vessels together. Arteries may get blocked or start bleeding. Similarly, the bile duct can also get blocked or leak bile out.
Medical Complications-
If the liver transplant surgery is not completed smoothly, you may face medical complications such as bile leaks,bleeding, blood clots orinfections. There is 30-35% risk of developing mild complications. Although these mild complications are easily treatable, you have to break your schedule and visit hospitals and also give attention to your health.
Time Commitment-
The whole process of liver transplantation takes about two to three weeks. Pre-transplant evaluation is a necessary process that requires time and effort. You have to compromise your daily schedule for various tests. Hospital stays last from four to seven days during the surgery.
Pain-
Pain is normal after surgery for both recipient and donor. Surgery includes stitches, which sometimes cause infection at the spot of surgery. Recipients tend to have less pain due to high-dose steroids, but the donor may have to suffer pain at the spot of surgery.
Medication Costs-
The recipient’s insurance covers all the expenses of pre-transplant evaluation and surgery. But the post-transplant pain medications are to be covered from their own pocket. We have seen that there are benefits and risks too. The most important thing is that the success rate of liver transplants is about 75% and taking risks to save one’s life is more beneficial than letting a person die. The success rate depends on the expertise of doctors, hospital, and health condition of the donor. Liver transplant in Delhi is more economical than in any other city in India. Saving a person’s life is more fruitful, so people should not hesitate to donate their liver and give life to a person. If such thinking and awareness arise in our country, thousands of people will get a new lease of life.
