With proper evaluation of the donor’s medical status and care, organ donation is completely safe, say liver docs…..CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
Liver transplant couple dies
Kamini Kaomkar , 42, a resident of Hadapsar had donated a part of her liver to her husband Bapu Balkrishna Koamkar , 49, on August 15. (Express Photo)
Death of a liver donor is extremely rare and so when a tragic incident occurred in Pune – a 42-year-old woman died of low blood pressure and multi-organ failure after donating a part of her liver to her husband – questions have been raised about how risk-proof the transplant procedure is.
As reported, 42-year old Kamini Koamkar had donated a part of her liver to husband Bapu Balkrishna Koamkar on August 15. Bapu passed away after the transplant surgery as his body could not tolerate it well enough. Kamini recovered and was doing well initially till she, what the Sahyadri Hospital authorities claim, developed hypotensive shock (when the body’s circulatory system fails to move oxygenated blood and nutrients to cells) and multi-organ failure despite advanced treatment. While the health department is conducting a review, transplant surgeons and doctors reiterated that liver donation was a safe option.
“With proper evaluation of the donor’s medical status and care, it is completely safe. By donating, you are not losing anything – instead, you are giving someone a new life, and that is the greatest blessing,” says Dr Bipin Vibhute, liver and multi organ transplant surgeon, Jupiter Hospital, Pune. “If there’s any risk, that’s too small. By that logic every surgery has that tiny risk,” says Dr Harshal Rajekar, liver transplant surgeon at Medicover Hospital, Pune.
The chance of serious complication in liver donors is less than one per cent
Donor death is an extremely rare event. “Globally, the chance of serious complications is less than 1% and the risk of death is extremely rare – only 0.1– 0.2%,” says Dr Vibhute. That’s because, he explains, the liver is a unique organ. It has the power to regenerate. This means the portion left in the donor and the portion given to the patient both grow to normal size in a few weeks. With a strict medical evaluation of both the donor and recipient and an experienced team, liver donation is safe and standardised. As per the International Liver Transplantation Society, 3,183 living donor liver transplants were done in India in 2022, the highest in the world.
Who can be a donor?
The donor selection process is very strict. “The donor should be between 18 and 55, healthy, with no diabetes, hypertension or liver disease. The blood group must match the patient’s and the donor must pass detailed blood tests, CT scan/MRI, heart health and psychological evaluation. Only completely fit individuals are accepted as donors,” says Dr Vibhute. Even after rigorous testing for heart and lung function, Dr Rajekar explains why a thorough psychological assessment is done. “This is a major surgery and the donor should rightly feel proud of themselves for having done a good deed. It is not an easy thing to do,” he says.
What complications can a donor face?
Donors usually do very well after a transplant surgery. Some may experience pain, bleeding, infection or bile leakage in the early days. Rarely, severe problems such as blood clots or poor liver function may occur. However, such complications are uncommon, and more than 95 per cent of donors recover completely and return to their normal lives.
Dos and don’ts for a liver donor
Eat a healthy diet and stay active with light exercise. Follow all instructions before surgery. Take medicines regularly and attend follow-up visits after surgery. Don’t smoke, drink alcohol or take unnecessary medicines that may harm the liver. Avoid lifting heavy weights for at least three months after surgery. Experts insist donors can live a completely normal and healthy life without restrictions in the long run.
“The donor recovers fast and can usually be discharged from the hospital within 10 days. The liver will grow back in size and should reach a nearly normal size in four to six weeks,” says Dr Rajekar, who encourages cadaveric organ donation (harvesting organs from a brain dead person) equally……CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
