Liver Transplant - Myths and Facts
The liver is the largest internal organ of the body and is the largest gland of the body. It weighs 1000 to 1500 mg and is responsible for carrying out more than 500 functions. Unlike kidneys, we do not have any artificial machine to take care of all liver functions when an individual develops liver failure, a liver transplant is their only option.
Myth 1 - Liver Transplant is only for an elite class
Liver transplant is 100 times cheaper in India than in any other developed country of the world. The overall cost varies from 12 -25 lakhs for the operation. But the most important fact that people do not know is that social organizations and NGOs that help people financially with liver transplants. What people fail to understand is that you end up spending more than the cost of a transplant after cirrhosis just for repeated admissions with complications. It is advisable to get transplanted rather than getting admitted multiple times in the Intensive care unit. A lot of individuals who present to us have spent more than 30-35 lakhs for treatment before even thinking of a liver transplant.
Myth 2 - Liver Transplant is not
The survival rate in India in whichever center of India you take is equal to the rest of the world. When we compare the data from a majority of our centers, as we do LDLT, the survival is superior. We expect 90% of patients to walk home after a transplant and the survival rate of 5 years is 70 percent which is 5 times that of the patient who requires a liver transplant.
Myth 3 - You have to travel out of Gujarat to get a liver
We have fully functional transplant setups in Ahmedabad. The transplant service at Civil Hospital, Sterling Hospital, and Shalby Hospitals Apollo Hospitals. We have a complete in-house team for in other centers with a combined experience of more than 1000 transplants. You no longer need to travel out of the state to get a liver.
The best is to protect your liver from developing cirrhosis. Even if you develop cirrhosis, it is not the death sentence nowadays you can still expect to survive a functional life with good quality after a liver transplant.
The Best Liver Transplant Physician