How to Recover from a Liver TransplantSurgery?

1. How to Recover from a Liver Transplant Surgery? Liver Transplantation is an intricate surgery performed upon patients whose liver gets damaged beyond recovery. Damage caused in the liver deteriorates its ability to perform vital functions. A Liver Transplant surgery is only performed on patients, who have end stage hepatic conditions, wherein there are major possibilities that the liver might completely lose its ability to function, and the condition might become fatal. The damaged liver of the patient is surgically removed and replaced by a segment of the donor's well functioning liver, which eventually regenerates into whole. A patient is required to take intensive care of his health after a Liver Transplant surgery in order to recover from the same. The surgery can result in various life threatening complications, therefore, it is crucial that a patient takes charge of his hepatic health after being discharged from the hospital. According to Dr. Vivek Vij, the top Liver Transplant surgeon with the highest success rate of Liver transplant in india (95% patient success rate) states that a transplant recipient can expect to endure certain complications including rejection and infection. Since the immune system of the recipient is suppressed during the surgery to avoid acute rejection, the recipient can be highly prone to infections. Although drugs are prescribed to avoid the new organ being attacked by the immune system, but it must be ensured that a recipient keeps himself away from anything that can possibly cause infection to him.

2. For a steady recovery, a Liver Transplant recipient is suggested to modify his lifestyle into a rather healthy one. The new organ transplanted is still prone to the complications if healthy changes in routine habits are not adopted. To avoid the manifestation of the hepatic illness again, a recipient is advised to remain abstinent from alcohol and smoking, and consume a balanced diet devoid of excessive fats and carbohydrates. Dr. Vivek Vij, a renowned Liver Transplant surgeon and an Esteemed Member of International Hepato-Pancreato Biliary Association (IHPBA), presently practicing at ILBS, one of the success rate of liver transplant suggests that after 4 months of the surgery, the recipient must regularly exercise to remain fit so as to avoid obesity and degradation of the newly transplanted organ. Recovering from a Liver Transplant is a slow process and requires a recipient to take utmost care, once discharged from the hospital. Thus, it is pivotal to schedule regular appointments with one’s liver surgeon to avoid any health complications in the transplanted organ.