Planning Your Liver Transplant in India

If you wish to have an opinion over e-mail about the possible need for a Liver Transplant, please mail the following reports to us at the earliest

• HbsAg, Anti HCV, HIV I & II, CBC / Hemogram, Liver Function Tests (LFT), Urea , Creatinine, Sodium , Potassium, P time / INR , AFP.
• Urine routine/microscopy, urine protein creatinine ratio.
• A good quality triple phase CT angiography of the liver ( It is safe to do this tests in those who have normal urea, creatinine levels and no contrast allergy ).
• A recent Upper GI endoscopy report.
• A Medical Summary prepared by any doctor detailing the patient’s history / symptoms is very useful.

These will help us guide you about the need for a Liver Transplant. However, once you are here we will examine the patient and perform a few more tests ( Stress Echo, PA pressure measurements, PFT, ABG ) which will determine the patient’s fitness to undergo such a major operation.

Donor Evaluation

• The donor must be a relative. He must be willing and happy to donate a part of his liver purely for altruistic reasons.
• He or she must preferably be between 18 and 45 years of age, healthy, fit and of a compatible / matching blood group.

See the table Below

Patient blood group	Matching donor groups
A+ or A-	A+ / A- /O+ / O-
B+ or B-	B+ / B- / O+ / O-
AB+ or AB –	Any blood group acceptable
O+ or O-	O+ / O-

Occasionally a donor / patient combination of non compatible blood groups may be considered for ABO incompatible liver transplant – this involves additional cost, additional procedures pre-transplant and additional risks for the recipient ( not for the donor ).

• The liver looks one organ but is actually 8 separate lobes packaged in one. Hence it can be divided into these lobes ! Usually for an adult – to – adult liver transplant , the right half of the liver is donated. Modern equipments and techniques allow almost bloodless division of the liver into the right and left halves. Liver donation from a living donor is feasible and safe because the remnant left lobe grows back to 80% of the original size in weeks and no near original size within months. Such is the remarkable ability of the liver to regenerate. The risks of liver donation is perhaps less than 1 in 200.
• The donor must be an adult and must be psychologically sound to be able to decide that he can be donor.
• Unrelated liver donation with any financial transaction between donor and recipient is illegal and punishable under Indian laws. We are unable to entertain any queries in this regard.
• If you wish to begin the donor evaluation immediately you could do the Level I & Level II tests in your country and mail us the reports :