Frequently Asked Questions

The post-surgical risks, like every other transplant surgery, include rejection, infection, bleeding or reaction to anaesthesia. Rejection happens when the body fails to recognise the new kidney and fights to destroy it. During the first few weeks or months post-surgery, your body may try to reject your new kidney. This is called acute rejection and occurs in 25 - 55% of the recipients. You’ll be given immuno-suppressants to counter this problem. Remember, it is mandatory to continue these medicines for the rest of your life. There is also a chance of chronic rejection - a gradual, progressive loss of kidney function that may occur over many years. Unfortunately, there’s no known treatment for chronic rejection and the patient may have depend on dialysis again or opt for another transplant. Aster Centre of Excellence in Multi-Organ Transplant has a very strong infection control system that’s managed by a highly-trained team of infectious diseases & infection control Physicians. Besides, we also have advanced technology like the HEPA Filter that purifies air to 0.3 microns, creating a safe and sterile environment for the patient.

Genetic predisposition is one of the reasons for obesity, it is a well-known and currently proven fact. Around 43% of the general population is susceptible to become obese due to genetic factors.

In some scenarios the cause of liver cancer is identified, for instance chronic hepatitis infection damages the DNA in the liver cells and cause liver cancer. Sometimes liver cancer occurs in patients with no underlying health conditions and it's not clear what causes it.

Alcohol is a toxin that can cause irreversible damage to your liver. Every time you drink, your liver does its best to break down the alcohol and expel the toxins from your body. However, if the alcohol content is beyond what the liver can handle, it will gradually start losing its ability to function, which in turn leads to several complications.​

The complications of liver diseases start showing very slowly, over many years. Symptoms usually aggravate with time and become life threating. The patient may suffer from Build-up of fluid in the abdomen (ascites) and legs (edema) Vomiting blood due to rupture of veins in the food pipe or stomach Deliriousness or confusion (Hepatic Encephalopathy) Coma Kidney failure Liver cancer

The first thing we do is to assess the patient as a team to determine whether transplant is the best way forward. Secondly his or her medical fitness for the transplant is assessed. Our team comprises hepato pancreato biliary/ multi organ transplant surgeons, hepatologists, transplant anaesthesiologists, liver anaesthesiologists, Intensivits, critical care experts, diagnostic radiologists, interventional radiologists, infectious diseases/ infection control physicians, psychiatrists and clinical psychologists supported by transplant coordinators, substance dependency experts to help those with a history of alcohol/drug use and social workers. All medical records are reviewed carefully, and a comprehensive pre-transplant diagnostic and pathological investigations are done to understand the extent of liver damage, ascertain blood, heart and lung health and check for any other major infections or diseases. If everything is acceptable, then we register the patient for liver transplant, according to blood type, body size, medical condition and a priority score based on three simple blood tests known as MELD (model of end-stage liver disease) in adults and PELD (paediatric end-stage liver disease) in children. Patients with the highest scores are transplanted first.

Like every advanced surgery, liver transplant too can have possible complications in some cases. ​ Your body’s immune system is programmed to destroy foreign substances that invade your body. This means your immune system may attempt to attack your new liver. This is called rejection and is see in more 30% liver-transplant patients within the first year of transplant. The doctors will give you anti-rejection medications to counter the immune attack.

Post-surgery, you will need to stay in the hospital for 2 to 3 weeks, so that we ensure you recover well. However, it is different for different people, as some might need more time to recover from post-surgery complications. Our doctors will always take time out to listen to you and to take good care of you, supported by our award winning team of CLS/BLS/ATLS/PALS certified nurses. In order to ensure your smooth recovery even after you get back home, our nurses and transplant coordinator will prepare well in advance prior to discharge. What you should do and what not will be explained to you in detail, along with your new medications that will help you overcome possible post-surgery complications. You will need to take these medications all your life. Our medical team will also tell you how to keep a watch on signs of rejection and infection and when you should seek immediate medical help.

You’ll be under continuous medical observation for 7 to 10 days post surgery, so that we can check whether your new kidney is functioning properly. At times, the new kidney might take some time to start functioning and produce urine. You might have to undergo dialysis till then and also take medications like diuretics to help the kidney expel excess water and salt from your body. Our nurses and rehabilitation experts will take good care of you and guide you through your recovery. We have state-of-the-art hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis facility, complete with a water treatment plant to ensure high-quality dialysis for patients.

There are three types of Bone Marrow Transplants based on from who the donor cells are harvested Autologous transplant is when you are receive your own stem cells. Allogeneic transplants in when you receive cells donated by your sibling or parent. However, an unrelated donor or a person who is not related to you can also give you stem cells for transplant. Syngeneic transplant is when you are infused with stem cells donated by your identical twin.