Major Things To Know About A Split Liver Transplant
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The liver of an adult donor is taken by the liver transplant surgeons and then it is decided by them whether it can be used for conducting a successful split liver transplant. The recipient is also medically assessed to check whether he/she will be able to undergo the transplant. Once both ends are finalised, the surgeon gives a green signal for proceeding with a laparoscopic liver transplant. Besides this, here are some important aspects to know as well.
- Who shares the liver?
The liver is usually taken from a deceased adult donor and is given to a potential pediatric recipient and an adult recipient. The child gets the smaller piece of the liver and the adult, the bigger piece. The adult recipient receives the right lobe of the liver which is about 60%-70% and the child receives the left lobe which is 30%-40% of the entire liver. This is a complex procedure and has to be done by a proficient surgeon.
- Why does a child require a liver transplant?
The reasons why children need a liver transplant are many but thankfully all are extremely rare cases. Amidst these, the most common one is biliary disease. It is a disease of the liver and the bile duct that occurs in children. The child suffers from this disease when the bile ducts fail to function normally and the bile juice, flowing from the lobe to the gallbladder, is congested. Consequently, the bile juice remains trapped inside the liver, damaging the liver cells and this gradually leads to liver failure. Additionally, autoimmune disease, rare metabolic disorders, adverse reactions to medications, and severe liver infections are the major reasons for a child to get a liver transplant.
- Will the child have a proper functioning liver?
After a laparoscopic liver transplant, as the child grows up, the liver too grows bigger and expands in size. Since the liver is a regenerative organ that can grow up to 80%-90% of a normal liver volume, the pediatric patient usually gets a new liver and it even functions naturally well.
With these major reasons, we are sure to spread awareness about a split liver transplant and help in saving more lives. There are many renowned hospitals and institutes, where you will find liver surgeons to help you understand this procedure a lot better. AILBS has a team of experienced professionals who offers the best liver transplant surgery in India to that one in need.
Our liver transplant surgeon is highly qualified and experienced to deal with even the most serious liver conditions and diseases. So, whether it is an adult or a child, we pioneer in the field of treating and curing their livers.
