Punjab Post Daily Online Newspaper & Print Media
Amritsar, Mar. 14 (Punjab Post Bureau) – Indraprastha Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals situated in New Delhi 
organised a health awareness program in Amritsar to spread awareness about liver diseases and its transplantation, The event was organised to educate public at large about prevention and treatment of growing burden of liver disease in India.
Commenting upon the procedure of liver transplant Dr Neerav Goyal Senior Consultant– Liver Transplant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said, “Living donor Liver transplantation (LDLT) is a complex surgical procedure which involves simultaneous major surgery on two individuals’, a living donor and recipient. This procedure should be undertaken only if the benefits far exceed the risks involved. LDLT is a lifesaving procedure for patients with end stage liver disease from chronic Hepatitis B and C, Ethanol abuse, Autoimmune Hepatitis and other causes. For patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, it provides a curative surgery to less than 70% of patients who are within certain criteria. For patients with acute liver failure, LDLT provides a lifesaving surgery, a patient who certainly wouldn’t survive without a transplant. In children born with congenital liver defects – egs – biliary atresia, Wilson’s disease, Criggler Najjar syndrome etc., LDLT gives an opportunity for a long and productive life”
Dr. Goyal highlighted, “In Punjab liver disease patients are commonly diagnosed with Hepatitis C, which is caused by Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). High prevalence of this virus in the state can be attributed to risk factors like unsafe sexual intercourse and even unsterile tattoo equipment can spread HCV from one person to another.”
Stressing upon the effect of excessive alcohol intake on the health of the liver, he further added, “Alcoholic liver cirrhosis results from overindulging in alcohol and is the second major cause of liver disease. Due to increase in alcohol consumption, over a period of time the healthy liver tissue is replaced by non-functioning scar tissue. More often than not, liver transplantation is the only viable treatment for this disease.”
Dr. Goyal indicated that Common causes of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis include Viral illnesses such as Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, Alcohol induced damage to liver, Fatty liver disease, Tendency for blockage of blood vessels of liver (Budd Chiari syndrome), Developmental malformations of liver as in biliary atresia in children, Enzyme deficiencies in children leading to chronic liver damage (Wilsons disease etc.), Sometimes from still unknown factors.
“Liver Donation is also possible from a living donor who is a relative of the recipient who can donate half of his/her liver. The donor operation is entirely safe and the half liver quickly regenerates in both the donor and the recipient in a few weeks. In the first few days after operation even when regeneration is not complete, the half liver is enough to maintain normal donor functions due to the immense reserve in the liver, said Dr. Neerav Goyal.
