9-Month-Old Baby Undergoes Successful Liver Transplant at KIMS Hospital

On the occasion of International Liver Day observed on April 19th, a recent liver transplant surgery performed on a 9-month-old baby weighing 6.8 kg, at KIMS Hospital, Secunderabad was explained. Poor parents from Thirumalagiri village, Mahabubnagar district came to the hospital two months back with their 7-month-old baby. The baby was first having symptoms of jaundice within a month of her birth and was initially treated by local doctors.

Later, she was referred to a Government hospital in Hyderabad where she underwent surgery (portoenterostomy). Still, she continued to have jaundice and also developed symptoms of liver failure such as ascites and was passing blood in the motion.

The patient was then referred to KIMS Hospital for further management. She was evaluated further and was diagnosed with biliary atresia. Doctors planned for liver transplant.

Biliary Atresia: A Common Disease

Biliary atresia is a common liver disease in babies. In this disease, the main bile duct is not formed. This is a problem by birth. One in every 20,000 children in India suffers from biliary atresia.

If diagnosed early, they undergo portoenterostomy or Kasai procedure (named after the surgeon). However, if it is diagnosed late (after 3 months), the liver develops secondary biliary cirrhosis and the Kasai procedure will not be helpful.

Even after an early procedure, some children need liver transplantation due to failure of the procedure, recurrent cholangitis, or failure to thrive. Biliary atresia comprises 50% of all transplants in children.

Procedure and Conclusions

The baby’s mother came forward to donate a part of her liver. The baby underwent a liver transplant successfully and was discharged. These surgeries usually cost around Rs. 15–20 lakhs. But, considering the poverty of the parents, the management of KIMS Hospitals subsidized the treatment cost. Now the baby is fully recovered and is in sound health.

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Transplantation in small children is complex due to the small vessels and ducts which need microscopic reconstruction. Also, the size mismatch makes the surgery much more difficult. The donor is usually the mother or father. Although we take just about 20–25% of the liver from the donor, still the size is bigger for the small babies who have a small abdominal cavity.

The liver performs over 500 vital functions and is also called the factory of the body. It is crucial for metabolism, it produces proteins and clotting factors, stores vitamins and minerals, and removes waste products from the bloodstream.

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Therefore, the liver disease should not be taken lightly. It is better to consult expert doctors (hepatologists, liver surgeons) immediately, and undergo treatment.

Source-Medindia