Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which doctor should I Consult forHepatectomy?Hepatectomy is done by a liver surgeon experienced in the procedure.
2. How Much of the Liver Can be Removed Without Causing Liver Failure?
Around half of the liver can be removed during liver resection. The patient will not suffer from liver failure if the remaining part of the liver is functioning normally.
3. Is Hepatectomy Useful in Patients with Lung Cancer that has Spread to the Liver?
Cancer from the lungs spreads to the liver at a late stage, after it has spread to other parts of the body. Therefore, hepatectomy may not be useful in these cases. On the other hand, colorectal cancer often spreads only to the liver. Therefore, resection of a cancerous part of the liver along with the cancer in the colorectum could be useful to the patient.
4. How Long Does a patient Take to Recover Following Hepatectomy Procedure?
The recovery period following a hepatectomy depends on the underlying condition for which the procedure was done. For example, if it was done for a cancer, recovery may take longer as compared to if it was done for a benign tumor. In addition, if the hepatectomy is followed by liver transplantation, the patient could take a long time to recover.
5. What Happens to the Liver of the Donor on Whom the Partial Hepatectomy is Carried Out for Transplantation?
When partial hepatectomy is carried out on a live healthy donor, the liver regenerates and carries out its functions normally.
6. Is Liver Transplant Being Done in India?
Liver transplant is being routinely done at several centers in India.
7. Can a Living Person Donate a Liver?
Yes this is possible. The safest is when an adult donates to a child who requires a transplantation. This is usually the small left lobe of the liver that is resected for transplantation to the child to match their size.
Adult-to-adult donation is also possible but for this a much larger right lobe needs to be resected, and it does have higher complication rate and also 1% mortality.
Generally there are two types of liver transplants:
- Living donor liver transplant (LDLT)
- Deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT) from a dead person
8. What is the Cost of Liver Transplantation in India?
The cost varies from 6 lakhs in a Government Hospital to about Rs30 Lakhs in a private well established liver transplantation hospital.
9. What is the Cost of Hepatectomy Surgery?
It depends on the complexity of the procedure and can cost from Rs1 Lakh to Rs.10 lakhs.
