Bengaluru: The city based Global Integrated Liver Care (GILC) transplanted 100 livers in 4 years.
Among the 100 transplants, 64 were from deceased brain dead donors while 36 were from related living donors. While the majority of transplants were for adults, 7 percent were done for children suffering from liver failure.
“I was diagnosed with end-stage liver failure six years back. Till a year ago my life was hell and pathetic, till the transplant took place.” says Ganesh Kamath, a liver transplant survivor who is leading a normal life post March 2014. Ganesh adds, “it was difficult to find a donor until a year back.”
All the hospitals have benefited from the amendments made in the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA), 1994 which has made organ transplants easy both for the patients and their families. “The new amended law has simplified the whole transplantation process in organ donation. The law has responded to the needs of the people,” explains Dr Sonal Asthana, Consultant, Multi Organ Transplant Surgeon, BGS Global Hospitals.
Despite a more relaxed law, more than 200 patients are still on the active waiting list for liver transplants in the State.
“In Karnataka, the organ donation rates have increased over the last four years, but still, more than 200 patients are on the active waiting list for liver transplant in our state. Dr Mathew Jacob, Consultant, Multi Organ Transplant Surgeon, BGS Global Hospitals points out ‘the real success of transplant programs will be possible only if we as a society pledge to donate our organs after death.’
A team has conducted a research on the ‘Health related Quality of Life of a patient after Liver transplantation’, which has been presented at a National meeting. The study revealed several limitations due to emotional problems,fatigue, social functioning and general health before the transplant.
However, significant improvements in the quality of life of a transplanted patient were observed within couple of months post transplantation, which progressively improved in due time. Participants spoke of living productive and meaningful lives and many reported a positive outlook in life after the transplantation.
