About
Liver is the virtual powerhouse of the human body. It performs a vast number of vital functions including producing almost all the proteins required by the body, removing toxins from whatever we ingest, processing the digested food material into various essential substances required to sustain the body and producing bile which aids in the digestion of fats.
Liver diseases can be caused by a myriad of causes. Long term continuous injury to the liver by any source may lead to long standing (chronic) liver disease. These sustained injuries are caused most commonly by excessive alcohol intake, infectious viruses, a combination of obesity, diabetes and hypertension and a multitude of other reasons.
Long standing (chronic) liver disease essentially leads to scarring of the liver which in medical terms is called cirrhosis. Initially, due to the remarkable regenerating capacity of the liver, even the damaged liver is able to sustain the requirements of the body for a long period of time. But ultimately the liver gives up and symptoms of chronic liver disease such as jaundice, bleeding and “water in the belly” (ascites) are produced. Liver Cancer is much more common in a diseased liver especially when cirrhosis is associated with viral infections and fatty liver disease. Timely intervention is the key to prevent and effectively treat liver, gall bladder and pancreas diseases.
The Institute of Liver Transplant and HPB Surgery at Apollomedics Hospitals provides comprehensive care for patients of liver disease, liver cancer, gall bladder cancer, bile duct and diseases of the pancreas. The Apollo group is a pioneer in the field of organ transplant in India. The cornerstone of treating complex Liver, biliary and pancreas diseases is a multidisciplinary approach. At Apollomedics Super speciality Hospital, a dedicated team of experienced Liver Transplant and hepatobiliary surgeons, Hepatologists, Liver ICU specialists, Interventional radiologists, Radiotherapists and other skilled staff are available round the clock to provide world class care and deal with all aspects of these complex diseases.
What we treat
- Chronic Liver disease
- Acute liver disease
- Liver cancer
- Gall bladder Cancer
- Pancreas cancer
- Bile duct cancer
- Stone disease of Gall bladder & Pancreas
- Cysts of liver, bile duct & Andreas
Causes of Liver disease – Adults
- Infections:
- Hepatitis A and E: through food and water contamination
- Hepatitis B: through blood transfusions, needles, unprotected sexual intercourse
- Hepatitis C: through blood transfusions, needles, unprotected sexual intercourse
- Liver Abscess (due to various infections)
- Toxins
- Excessive Alcohol intake
- Rat-killer poisoning
- Some ayurvedic and herbal medications when taken inappropriately or without supervision
- In few diseases or situations, your immune system starts to attack and damage own organs or part of body affect liver as well. A few examples of Autoimmune liver diseases are –
- Autoimmune Hepatitis
- Primary Biliary Cholangitis
- Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
- Genetics
Abnormal gene mutations can cause various buildups in your liver which results in liver damage. The genetic diseases may include –- Hemochromatosis
- Wilson’s disease
- Alpha -1 antitrypsin deficiency
- Fatty liver disease: A combination of obesity and diabetes and some other risk factors may lead to initial deposition of fat in the liver and if left untreated, may lead to cirrhosis of liver. In recent research, this form of cirrhosis seems to have a higher association with liver cancer.
- Liver cysts: may present as abdominal pain or swelling
- Benign liver tumors: these are not cancers but may need surgical intervention when causing symptoms such as pain, jaundice or bleeding. These include Haemangioma (liver blood vessel tumor), Liver adenoma etc. Some of these tumors may have potential to turn into liver cancer.
Liver Transplant Helpline: +91-7705002277
Causes of Liver disease in children
- Biliary atresia: (non development of bile ducts)
- Metabolic liver disease( mutation of genes leading to deficiency of essential substances required for normal functioning of the body)
- Wilson disease( excessive copper deposition)
- Liver tumors: Although more commonly seen in adults, some liver tumors are more common in children and may present as swelling in the abdomen.
- Portal vein obstruction (EHPVO and NCPF): leading to enlarged spleen and bleeding.
Symptoms of Liver disease –
These can be due to cirrhosis or other liver diseases. Liver disease can occur with minimal symptoms such as fatigue and a decrease in appetite or no symptoms at all!
A few of the prominent symptoms of liver disease are:
- Jaundice (yellowness of eyes)
- weight loss and loss of appetite
- Pain in abdomen (belly)
- swelling of the abdomen, hands and feet
- Blood vomiting or dark-colored stools
- Mental or personality changes with excessive sleepiness
- Itching
- hair loss
- breathing difficulty
Gall Bladder, Bile duct and Pancreas
The Institute of Liver Transplant and HPB Surgery at Apollomedics Hospital, Lucknow is equipped with cutting-edge technology and world-class infrastructure to effectively treat complex diseases related to Gall bladder, Bile duct and pancreas with a multidisciplinary approach. Some of the diseases we treat:
- Gall Bladder stones
- Bile duct stones
- Pancreas Stones and Chronic Pancreatitis(long-term inflammation of the pancreas)
- Acute Pancreatitis(injury/inflammation of the pancreas due to alcohol or bile duct stones)
- Gall bladder and Bile duct cancer
- Pancreas Cancer
- Cysts of Bile duct and Pancreas
Treatment
Introducing Liver Transplant and HPB Unit in Uttar Pradesh
Due to lack of liver specific treatment in Uttar Pradesh, patients often had to go to other states for the treatment of liver diseases. Apollomedics hospital is introducing a dedicated Liver Transplant and HPB unit in Uttar Pradesh for comprehensive treatment of liver, Gall Bladder, Bile duct and Pancreas diseases.
We offer treatment for all stages of liver disease ranging from advice on diet and lifestyle changes to the most complex surgical procedures and Liver Transplantation. The choice of treatment for liver and biliary diseases depends on the stage and type of disease. At Apollomedics we offer Surgery, Endoscopic procedures, Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy from the best experts in their respective fields under one roof, we have a highly specialized team and successfully handled cases of liver transplants from Bihar and Nepal. We provide the best facilities to the patient and attendants with the top-notch treatment at affordable prices.
- Acute Liver Failure (ALF)
- Alcoholic Liver Disease
- Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Liver Cancer
Why Choose Apollomedics for Liver transplantation?
The Apollo Hospitals group have performed the maximum number of transplants in India with success rates comparable to the best in the world. We have the best liver transplant surgery unit in Uttar Pradesh offering comprehensive pre and post-operative personalized care and a dedicated Liver ICU. The Liver Transplant unit at our hospital is equipped with the latest and most advanced medical and surgical equipment with highly skilled and experienced staff to ensure a safe and successful liver transplant.
Doctor’s Profile
Dr. Ashish Kumar Mishra
Dr. Rajiv Ranjan Singh
Dr. Waliullah Siddiqui
Dr. Suhang Verma
Frequently Asked Questions(Liver Disease)
Symptoms are caused by scarring of the liver which reduces blood flow in the liver and causes accumulation of fluid in the body and may cause bleeding from dilated blood vessels
Liver function tests and some other blood tests are required. Also an ultrasound abdomen is often required. Based on these further tests are advised.
With the advent of liver transplantation almost all stages of liver disease can be cured except when patient’s physical condition is not suitable for withstanding the surgery or when the cancer has reached beyond a certain stage. Liver Transplant is offered when all other treatment options have failed and patient develops symptoms of end stage liver disease like Ascites(water in the belly), affect on the brain, persistent bleeding or development of cancer in the scarred liver.
With advanced ICU care and expertise the success of liver transplantation is above 90-95%. A liver transplant recipient is able to live a normal and productive life post transplant provided he follows the doctors instructions carefully and is regular with his medications.
Liver transplant is of two types: Living Donor Liver transplant in which a near relative donates part of his/her liver to the recipient. A deceased donor liver transplant involves organ donation by a brain dead donor. Organ donation in India is very infrequent and hence the predominant type of liver transplant in India remaines living donor liver transplantation.
Almost all living donors live a normal life post liver donation and are able to return to work within 3-4 weeks. The liver has an amazing capacity to regenerate and majority of the donated liver re-grows in about 3-4 weeks. Long term complications in a liver donor are very rare and donors are able to go back to any kind of profession they want, including those involving physical labour. Their family life remains undisturbed.
Close relatives and spouse with same blood group can be liver donors after proper legal parameters are met. Organ donation is closely scrutinized in our country as per laws and all liver transplants are approved by the ethics committee.
This statement is untrue. Success rate of liver transplant is above 90-95% and with proper follow-up patient’s live normal life. We have to understand that patient is offered this complex treatment only when there is no other treatment option left. At that stage, the survival of the patient is not possible for long term without a liver transplant. Post a successful liver transplant patient can survive for decades.
Immediately post transplant there might be bleeding, blockage of vessels, infection, biliary complications and rejection of the grafted liver by the body. In the long term, patient may have long term rejection, infection, bile duct problems and liver damage when he does not take prescribed medications.Risk of infection is very high in post transplant patients as patients are put on medications to prevent rejection by the body which puts them at increased risk of infection as compared to general population. However, with passage of time the dosage is reduced and the risk of infections continues to decrease over time.Most of these complications are manageable in the modern Liver Units except long term rejection and failure to comply with medications and doctor’s advice.
Some medications are continued for life but the dose decreased as months and years pass. Certain other medications are stopped after a few weeks. It is important to note that regular blood tests are required to adjust the dosage of the drugs given post transplant.
Apollomedics Super speciality Hospital Lucknow is the only hospital in the private setting offering Liver Transplant in the region. We have the best surgical and medical staff with modern operation theatres, infection control and Liver ICUs to provide the best possible care to liver transplant patients
For any further query, please don’t hesitate to call our 24x7x365 Liver helpline number +91-7705002277. We shall take care of the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions(Gall bladder, Pancreas and Bile Duct Diseases)
The most common symptoms are pain, nausea, vomiting, Jaundice (yellow eyes and urine), unexplained weight loss and loss of appetite.
Investigations should be suggested by a specialist. Generally Liver function tests, blood counts and ultrasound are the starting point. Further tests such as CT scan or MRI are advised based on the findings of above mentioned tests.
We have the best liver transplant in uttar pradesh dedicated HPB unit which includes surgeons, gastroenterologists, medical oncologists and ICU specialists who are able to deal with all varieties of complex gall bladder, bile duct and pancreas problems under one roof. Our experts are highly trained and have experience from the best national and international centers assuring quality and personalized care.
If diagnosed at an appropriate stage, surgery is a part of almost all curative options for such cancers. Multimodality treatment approach which includes chemo and radiotherapy are often a part of the treatment protocol. Advanced cancers need individualized treatment based on stage, cancer biology and patient’s clinical status.
Pancreas is an organ in the body which secretes insulin and many digestive juices for the digestion of food. In some situations pancreas may get inflammed which is called pancreatitis. The most common causes are Alcohol intake and gall bladder stones which can lead to blockage of pancreas and subsequent inflammation. The range of symptoms can be just pain to severe damage to surrounding structures leading to collapse of the patient which requires urgent and intense care. In chronic pancreatitis, similar attacks of pain and injury continue over years leading to stiff pancreas, dilated pancreatic duct and formation of pancreatic stones. Some genetic alterations in children and young adults can also cause chronic(long term) pancreatitis. The liver and Hepato-pancreatico-Biliary unit at Apollomedics is fully equipped to handle any type of pancreatitis.
This is because bile duct problems require great deal of expertise as treatment may range from endoscopic therapies to surgeries that may require extensive liver resections. Treatment is individualized and hence requires opinions from experts who have trained in this field
Key-hole or laparoscopic surgery has now emerged as a frontline method of surgical treatment. Apollomedics hospitals has the most advanced laparoscopic instruments and well equipped operation theatres to carry out advanced laparoscopic surgeries. However, it must be remembered that not all patients and diseases may be suited for laparoscopy and some surgeries are best carried out by open method. This decision is highly individualized and depends on both patient and surgeon.
You can contact our Liver helpline number +91-7705002277 for more details and assistance.
