Liver disease can leave you and your family overwhelmed with enquiries and concerns. The good news? India has become a top liver transplant destination with world-class medical facilities at affordable prices. With over 1,500 liver transplants performed each year nationwide, you're not alone.
When Should You Get a Liver Transplant? Important Causes and Signs
Nobody wants to consider a liver transplant; however, being aware can save your life. Your liver needs a transplant when it can't perform its important tasks. What are the main causes of liver failure?
Primary Causes:
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Cirrhosis and chronic liver disease (60%)
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Hepatitis B/C
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Alcohol-induced liver disease
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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
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Diseases like Wilson's and haemochromatosis
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Patients with primary biliary cholangitis may experience acute liver failure
Watch for Critical Symptoms:
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Do not overlook these warning signs from your body:
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Chronic jaundice
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Severe abdominal pain and swelling
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Chronic fatigue and weakness
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Mental confusion
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Easy bruising and bleeding
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Dark urine and pale faeces
These symptoms suggest you should see nephrologist treatment hospitals in India at the earliest.
NABH-accredited liver transplant centres: Trustworthy Excellence
Liver transplants require top-notch care. Fortunately, India has many NABH-accredited hospitals of international standards, ensuring excellence.
Top-tier centres include:
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AIIMS, New Delhi,
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Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
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Fortis Hospital, Gurgaon
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King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai
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Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), New Delhi
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Max Super Speciality Hospital
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Delhi Global Health City, Chennai
These centres have success rates of 85-90%, making living-donor liver transplant in India successful for hundreds of patients each year.
Living vs. Deceased Liver Donation
Now, let's discuss one of your most essential decisions: living versus deceased donor transplantation. Understanding the pros and cons might help you choose the proper option.
Living Donor Transplant:
Amazingly, the liver can regenerate! Living donor liver transplants in India have shorter wait times and better outcomes. Family members are favoured donors; however, spouses can donate under certain conditions. It's incredible because the donor's liver regenerates completely in 6-8 weeks, and normal liver function is restored in a few months.
Transplantation of deceased donors:
Using brain-dead donor organs. Despite longer wait times (6-12 months), it eliminates hazards to living donors, which many families find comfortable. India's organ allocation mechanism prioritises medical necessity and compatibility over other variables to be fair.
Legal Framework:
The 1994 Transplantation of Human Organs Act (amended 2011) oversees organ donation in India. Important provisions:
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Mandatory authorisation committees for live donor approvals
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Tight screening to avoid commercial dealings
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Clear donor and recipient consent procedures
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Severe penalties for organ trafficking
Picking the Right Health Option
How do you choose between living or deceased liver donation? It depends on how urgent your medical situation is and whether you have willing and compatible family donors. Live donation usually provides:
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Quicker therapy
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Better tissue matching within families
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Scheduled procedures optimise preparedness
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Higher success rates with fresher organs
You get comprehensive liver transplant infrastructure in India, skilled medical professionals who care, and supportive legal frameworks that protect everyone at much lower costs than in Western countries. This combination gives Indian families and international patients seeking this life-saving treatment hope.
Talk to competent hepatologists and transplant teams to find the best solution for your circumstances. Start your health and hope journey with that first chat.