Experts Views on “Saving Liver, Saving Life”

 Liver disease has become rampant in the region of Punjab 

Ludhiana: 6th November 2021: (Punjab Screen Bureau)::

In the last decade, liver disease has become rampant in the region of Punjab due to large burden of obese & diabetic population with fatty liver, alcohol & drug abuse and high rate of HCV infection. Progressive liver disease leads to liver cirrhosis, failure and liver cancer causing untimely death. The only ray of hope for long term survival in such patients is Liver transplantation. 

Due to lack of adequate liver transplant services in Punjab, AGI-The GASTROCITI, LUDHIANA keeping its promise of delivering the best healthcare services to the needy people took the first initiative to collaborate with Jaypee Hospital (Noida) and started Liver Transplantation services in February 2021 at LUDHIANA. The liver transplant programme was designed with patient screening, assessment, pre-transplantation workup and post surgical follow up at AGI - The GASTROCITI, LUDHIANA. Surgical services were provided by Dr. Punit Singla, Associate Director, Department of Liver Transplant & Surgical Gastroenterology, Jaypee Hospital (Noida).

The Team has now successfully completed five liver transplants in a short span of six months, barring 3 months deferment due to second wave of COVID-19 when the services were temporarily interrupted. The teamwork of three eminent Gastroenterologists namely Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Malhi, Dr. Rajiv Grover & Dr. Jasmeet Singh Dhingra and Gastro Surgeon Dr. Harpal Singh in collaboration with Liver Transplant Surgeon Dr Punit Singla offers complete umbrella services to patients needing medical therapy, transplant surgery, holistic pre & post transplant care and most importantly listing of recipients for cadaveric transplant who do not have living donor in their family. 

It is a matter of great pride that after proper counseling, timely referral and expert pre & post transplant care, all the five liver transplants were completed with 100% success rate and this is an achievement of substantial proportions for the entire region. It is very encouraging and an eye opener for the society that women are leading and courageously coming forward to donate a part of their liver to loved ones. Recalling his experience, the first liver transplant patient Mr. Soni said life had become too difficult due to repeated abdominal fluid collection & blood loss as a result of end stage liver disease. His life span was limited to a few weeks to months without liver transplant. His daughter came forward to donate a part of her liver to her ailing father despite being young and unmarried. The patient underwent a successful liver transplant, which lasted for around 10 hours. Both donor and the recipient are now fine. 

Another three patients, underwent liver transplant where in their spouses donated a part of liver for the procedure. Such successful cases and courageous donors are the need of the hour for liver patients in Punjab. Some patients don’t have any eligible family donors. Since organ donation is the most generous gift known to mankind which can create a legacy of life, our fifth transplant patient Mr. Puri was fortunate that he could get cadaveric liver as he was listed in cadaveric list prior. A special “Green Corridor” was created in Delhi for the procedure. He is doing fine and has been successfully discharged. 

As the only ray of hope for long term survival in end stage liver disease (cirrhosis) patients is liver transplantation and there is a grave scarcity of quality liver transplant services in region of Punjab and its surrounding areas, this concept of wholesome patient care under one roof and collaborative team work of A.G.I- The Gastrociti Ludhiana & Jaypee Hospital Noida is a big boon for people of Punjab and will help the needy and liver disease patients in a big way.