Living Donor Liver Transplant

Any patient who is on the liver transplant waiting list is eligible to be considered to receive a liver from a live donor.

The decision to donate must be voluntary and free from all coercion and financial compensation. Donors may withdraw from the evaluation process at any time without any repercussions. A person’s decision to opt-out of donating a portion of his or her liver for any reason is private and kept confidential.
A healthy donor must:

• Have a compatible blood type with the recipient
• Be between the ages of 18 and 55
• Be in good physical and mental health
• Have an emotional relationship with the recipient
• Have a BMI of less than 30

In living liver donor surgery, the donor and the recipient are placed in side-by-side operating rooms. A surgeon removes a part of the donor’s liver, typically the right half in adults (in children’s left lobe). The Recipients’ liver is then removed and then the donated segment of the liver is then immediately placed in the recipient in the next operating room. This donated segment of the liver is then immediately placed in the recipient in the next operating room. The remaining part of the donor’s liver is sufficient to maintain normal body functions. The recipient also receives a large enough segment of the donor’s liver to maintain body functions. During approximately the next two months, the remaining and transplanted parts of the donor’s liver grow to normal size, providing normal long-term liver function for the donor and the recipient.

There are many benefits of receiving a liver from a living donor:
For the Recipient

• Significantly shorter time on the national waiting list.
• The ability to be transplanted before one gets critically ill. Your preserved strength at the time of transplant will make your recovery easier and faster.
• The liver from the living donor is of excellent quality.
• The surgery can be scheduled electively, allowing the donor and recipient more time to prepare for surgery.
• The patient survivals are equal to, or better than, the outcomes experienced in deceased donor transplants.

For the Living Donor

• Life-saving act for your loved one: the vast majority of liver donors share that they would make the same decision to donate after experiencing the entire donation journey.
• Helping a stranger: the gift of transplant that the living donor provides to their intended recipient helps with the overall liver organ scarcity. In this way, being able to transplant one recipient with a living liver donor will ultimately allow another patient on the deceased donor’s liver waiting list to get a transplant, too.

Most donors recover fully after the operation and can do normal activities within a few months after the surgery. However, as with any major surgery, there are risks.

A donor may develop some problems during or right after the operation. They might also experience problems months or years later.

Removing more than half of the liver is a major operation that has some risks. Some of the risks involve specific problems that can occur in and around the liver after surgery. These problems include bleeding, infection, bile leaks, or damage to the bile tree (the ducts that run through the liver). There is a 0.5% risk of death in this operation.

For the most part, it takes about four weeks to recover from surgery. For a month after leaving the hospital, you will go to the clinic for frequent check-ups. Most people get back to work within eight to 10 weeks, but this differs from person to person. The medical staff will say when it is safe to return to normal life. Federal employees can get a special leave for being organ donors. Other employers have similar programs, so check with your boss to see if your company offers special leave.

In a living donor liver transplant, two surgeries happen at the same time.

One surgery for the donor. One surgery for the recipient.

This means the total cost is higher than a regular transplant. Both the donor and the recipient need hospitalisation, ICU care, medicines, and follow-up treatment.

For most Indian families, managing this cost is a serious concern. Especially when the donor is a family member who is also taking time off work to help their loved one.

The good news is that government health schemes cover a significant portion of this cost for eligible families.

Dr. Manoj Dongare at Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune, helps both the donor and recipient family understand the scheme benefits before the surgery is scheduled.

1. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) – Ayushman Bharat

PMJAY is the Central Government’s health protection scheme under the Ayushman Bharat mission. It is available to eligible families across all states of India.

For living donor liver transplant families, PMJAY is particularly useful because it covers both the donor and the recipient under the same family health card.

Key Benefits of PMJAY for Living Donor Liver Transplant:

• Both donor and recipient are covered under one single family health card
• Transplant surgery, ICU stay, and post-operative care for recipient are included
• Donor’s surgery, ICU monitoring, and hospital stay are also covered
• Medicines, wound care, and physiotherapy for both are included
• Treatment is completely cashless at empanelled hospitals
• No large upfront payment is needed at the hospital
• Families from any state of India can avail this benefit at D.Y. Patil Hospital, Pune

Who is eligible for PMJAY:

• Families listed under Socio-Economic Caste Census data
• Families holding a valid Ayushman Bharat golden card
• Patients from any state of India at Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune

2. Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY)

MJPJAY is the Maharashtra state government health scheme. It supports economically weaker families of Maharashtra with quality surgical treatment at minimum cost at government empanelled hospitals.

For living donor liver transplant, MJPJAY is especially important for families where both the donor and recipient belong to the same low-income household.

Key Benefits of MJPJAY for Living Donor Liver Transplant:

• Transplant surgery cost for the recipient is significantly reduced
• Pre-surgery investigations for both donor and recipient are partially covered
• ICU care, post-surgery medicines, and wound dressing for both are included
• Physiotherapy and nutritional support during recovery are covered
• Follow-up consultations after discharge are supported under the scheme
• Treatment is available at very minimum cost for eligible Maharashtra families
• D.Y. Patil Hospital, Pimpri-Chinchwad is a recognised empanelled centre under MJPJAY

Who is eligible for MJPJAY:

• Maharashtra residents with a yellow or orange ration card
• Families with a valid income certificate below the state eligibility limit
• Single income families where one member is donating and another is receiving

Dr. Manoj Dongare at Dr. D. Y. Patil Hospital and Research Center provides one of the best Liver treatment and transplant services in Pimpri Chinchwad and Pune. For more information about our comprehensive treatment options, or to request an appointment with one of the best Surgical Liver Transplant and HPB Surgeon in Pune call 09881379573 or Click on Book Appointment for online booking with your near hospital.