Category Archives: Artificial Liver Support

Liver transplant procedure for cancer types with survival

Liver Transplant: Treatment for Cancer Types & Survival

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The procedure of liver transplantation (LT) is now an important method of treatment for certain kinds of cancers that affect the liver. When a liver is replaced by a healthy liver, it provides not only an opportunity to treat cancer but also gives patients the possibility of living longer and healthier lives. This article explores the significance of liver transplantation in the treatment of various types of cancer, as well as the rate of survival that comes with this procedure, as well as the major advancements made in this area.

In this article, we’ll explore how liver transplants serve as an effective treatment option for various cancer types, the role of the best liver transplant surgeons in India, and what patients can expect in terms of survival and recovery after the procedure.

Introduction to Liver Transplantation

The procedure of liver transplantation can be described as a procedure that involves the removal of the damaged or diseased liver and replacing it with a healthy, functioning liver from an organ donor. It’s a viable treatment for patients suffering from end-of-life liver disease as well as specific forms of cancers in the liver, particularly when the cancer is restricted to the liver. While a liver transplant isn’t appropriate for every cancer patient, however, it is typically looked at when other treatment options like chemotherapy or surgery are not viable anymore or if cancer has progressed. For many patients, a liver transplant may give the possibility of
an opportunity to live again. 

Kinds of Cancer Treatable with  Transplantation of the Liver

Liver transplants are most often utilized to treat two kinds of liver cancers, Hepatocellular
Cancer (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma. Each one has its distinct characteristics as well as
treatment needs and results

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)
Hepatocellular cancer is by far the most prevalent type of liver cancer that usually occurs in
people with chronic liver disorders like cirrhosis. HCC is a form of cancer that develops when
the liver cells are cancerous due to damage sustained over time that is usually caused by
hepatitis C infections, alcohol dependence, or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
For patients suffering from advanced-stage HCC restricted to the liver, a liver transplant is a
great option for ensuring long-term survival. In certain cases, it’s the only treatment that is
curative, particularly when the tumor is not surgically removed because of the liver’s deficient
function.
Other Types of Cancers
Although HCC is by far the most commonly diagnosed liver cancer that is treated through
transplantation, other types of cancer like cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) and liver
metastases (cancer that has taken hold of the liver after having spread to other organs) can
be treated through the transplantation of a liver, but the incidence of these types is less.
Cholangiocarcinoma may be difficult to treat, however, liver transplants may provide patients
with a possibility of treatment if the cancer is located in the liver, and there is no evidence of
spreading. 

Indications for Liver Transplantation
The decision of whether to undergo the idea of a liver transplant to help with cancer
treatment depends on various aspects.
Cancer Stage and Liver Function
The stage of the cancer, as well as the general condition of the liver, are key factors. Inmanyn 
instances, a transplant is suggested when the tumour is not large and restricted to the liver
and when your liver is not functioning properly due to cancer or cirrhosis.
In patients with a severe stage, liver transplants may be le

How Does a Liver Transplant Work?
A liver transplant is an extensive procedure that involves taking out the damaged liver before
transferring the healthy liver from an organ donor. The procedure is carried out under general
anesthesia, and typically, the procedure takes up to an hour

Surgical Procedure
The surgeon cuts an incision through the abdomen to allow access to the liver. A damaged or
destroyed liver will be removed, and the donor’s liver is then carefully transferred into the
body of the patient. The bile ducts and blood vessels are connected so that the liver can
perform as it should.
Donor Liver Types
Donor livers can be derived from deceased donors or living donors

Living Donor Vs. deceased Donor
In a live-donor transplant, the donor is healthy and donates part of their liver. Because the
liver can regenerate, both the donor’s and the recipient’s livers can likely grow with time.
Donors who have died will receive organs from deceased donors, and the organs must be
sized to match the body of the recipient as well as blood types.

Success Rates of Liver Transplants

for Cancer
The rate of success for liver transplantation for cancer is dependent on many factors, which
include the kind of cancer, the stage of the disease, as well as the general health of the patient.
Statistical Data on Survival Rates
The general rule is that the survival rate for transplants to the liver can be very high.
According to the latest statistics, the five-year survival rate of recipients of liver transplants
is between 70 and 80 per cent, however, this can vary depending on the patient’s medical
condition and the kind that is being received.

Factors Affecting Survival
Many factors affect the chance of survival, including patients’ age and general health as well
as to what degree the patient’s liver is compatible with the donor’s liver, and whether the cancer
will recur following transplantation. For instance, younger patients who are
diagnosed with hepatocellular cancer in early stages are more likely to survive as compared
to patients with higher-grade cancer

Post-Transplant Care and Management

Following a liver transplant, the patient’s recovery requires a long and extensive treatment
regimen.
Lifelong Care for Liver Transplant Recipients
After this procedure, the patients are required to be on immunosuppressive medication to
stop the body’s rejection of the newly created liver. These medicines must be taken for the
rest of their lives.
Lifestyle modifications, like eating a balanced diet and consistent exercising, are crucial to
keeping the health of the new liver. Regular follow-up visits with the medical team will make
sure your transplant is working properly and that there are no indications of cancer
recurrence.
Risks and Complications
Like any major operation, liver transplantation comes with risks. Possible complications
could include rejection, infection of the donor’s liver and the recurrence or recurrence. Close
monitoring of the transplant is vital in identifying any problems in the early stages.

Survival Rates and Prognosis
The outlook for patients who have received a liver transplant and have cancer is generally
good, particularly when they meet the requirements for a successful transplant. Cancer
recurrence is a possibility; however, advancements in medical treatment, such as
post-transplant surveillance, have led to improved survival rates over the long term.
Advances in Liver Transplantation
Technology
In recent times, there have been major improvements in technology for liver transplantation, 
which include improved immunosuppressive medications and better methods for preserving
organs. These advancements continue to improve the safety and effectiveness of liver
transplants.

What You Need to Know Before a
Liver Transplant
Anyone considering a liver transplant must be aware of the conditions for being put on the list
for transplants that include medical examinations, tests and the necessity to keep a healthy
lifestyle.

FAQs

Q1 Who is eligible for liver transplants for cancer?
A1 The eligibility criteria are based on the kind of cancer it is, its stage, liver function and
general health. A1: The Milan Criteria are commonly used to determine whether a patient is
eligible.

Q2 How long will it take to heal from an organ transplant?
A2 Recovery may take a few weeks, the initial couple of weeks of recovery being the most
crucial. Recovery and returning to normal activities could take as long as 1 year.

Q3 What are the dangers of undergoing a liver transplant?
A3 The risks include rejection of the organ as well as bleeding, infection and an increase in
cancer recurrence. Monitoring and treatment with care can help manage these risks.

Q4 What is the survival rate of liver transplant recipients?
A4 Five-year rate of survival of recipients of liver transplants is between 70-80%, based on
factors such as health, age and the stage of cancer.

Q5 What is the possibility of a liver transplant to help treat liver cancer?
A5 In certain instances, the liver transplant can treat liver cancer, particularly in cases where
the cancer is located within the liver and has not progressed.

Q6. What can I expect following the liver transplant?
A6 The post-transplant treatment includes the use of immunosuppressive drugs along with
lifestyle changes and regular checks to check the function of the liver and identify indications
of cancer or recurrence.

Conclusion
Liver transplantation can be a lifesaving procedure for a lot of cancer patients, providing an
opportunity to live and an improved quality. Although the procedure and recovery
process require meticulous planning and monitoring, the results are significant. As
technology advances, the prospects for patients who undergo liver transplantation remain
positive with higher success rates and better handling of any complications.

Dr. Neerav Goyal is the Best liver transplant surgeon in India, specializing in complex liver surgeries. With years of experience, he is dedicated to providing the best care for his patients. Contact him today to explore the best treatment options for your liver health.

Advanced Liver Transplant and HPB Surgery Unit at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, providing expert care for liver diseases

Living with Hepatitis B or C: How We Manage and Treat Chronic Liver Disease

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By the Liver Transplant and HPB Surgery Unit, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital

At the Liver Transplant and HPB Surgery Unit at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, we meet hundreds of patients each year silently battling Hepatitis B and C—the two leading causes of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis in India and across the world.

The good news? With timely diagnosis and the right treatment, most people can live full, healthy lives—and even avoid liver failure.

🦠 The Long Shadow of Hepatitis B & C

These viruses infect the liver and, over the years, lead to:

  • Liver inflammation
  • Fibrosis (scarring)
  • Cirrhosis (end-stage liver damage)
  • Liver cancer in some cases

In many patients, there are no symptoms for years until liver damage is already advanced.

📍 Real Stories from Our Unit

A 42-year-old man came to us with mild fatigue and bloating. Routine blood work revealed he had chronic Hepatitis C—something he didn’t even know he was carrying for over a decade. Within 3 months of starting antiviral therapy, his viral load was undetectable and his energy returned.

In another case, a young woman with Hepatitis B was initially told she would eventually need a transplant. With the proper medication and monitoring, her liver function has stabilized—and she continues to work, travel, and raise her children.

🔍 How We Diagnose

  • Liver function tests (LFTs)
  • Viral markers (HBsAg, Anti-HCV, HBeAg, HBV DNA, HCV RNA)
  • FibroScan (non-invasive liver stiffness assessment)
  • Ultrasound or MRI to check for fibrosis, nodules, or cancer
  • Occasionally, a liver biopsy

💊 Treatment Options We Offer

✅ For Hepatitis B:

  • Long-term antiviral medications (e.g., Tenofovir, Entecavir) to suppress the virus
  • Regular monitoring for liver function and liver cancer.
  • ✅ For Hepatitis C:
    • Curable in most patients with oral Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) for 8–12 weeks
    • 95–98% success rate—even in patients with cirrhosis

    🧠 What We Tell Every Patient

    • You are not alone. Millions are living with hepatitis and doing well.
    • Get regular follow-up. Liver cancer can develop silently—we screen every 6 months.
    • Tell your family. Early testing and vaccination (for Hep B) can prevent spread.
    • If needed, we are ready for transplant. For those with advanced liver damage, we offer world-class living donor and deceased donor liver transplantation.

    🌿 Your Liver Can Heal—Let’s Help It

    At our unit, our approach is never one-size-fits-all. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or have lived with hepatitis for years, we offer:

    • Personalized treatment plans
    • Supportive diet and lifestyle guidance
    • Liver transplant evaluation if needed
    • Compassionate care from a dedicated team
    • Consult Dr. Neerav Goyal, one of the best liver transplant surgeons in India, offering expert care and advanced treatments
Dr Neerav Liver Transplant Surgeon

Liver Transplant Procedure in India for foreigners

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A dysfunctional liver has a significant effect on the rest of your body. The organ carries out hundreds of essential functions, from assisting with food digestion to removing dangerous toxins from your blood. You might need a liver transplant procedure to repair your failing liver if the problem is serious enough.

We have information for you if you want to learn more about liver transplants in India or why it’s the best country for foreigners. So let’s get this conversation started.

When Is A Liver Transplant Necessary?

There are numerous reasons for liver disease to be serious enough to necessitate a liver transplant. Cirrhosis is the most frequent cause of liver transplants in adults. In cirrhosis, a prolonged insult to the liver causes it to steadily degrade and malfunction. Scar tissue takes the place of healthy liver tissue, partially restricting blood flow through the liver. Drinking, autoimmune liver illnesses, fat deposits in the liver, genetic diseases, and viruses like hepatitis B and C can all lead to cirrhosis.

Many persons with liver cirrhosis from binge drinking also require a liver transplant. Some of them will often experience considerable improvements with alcohol abstinence and problem management for six months, and these individuals may live for extended periods without a transplant. Liver transplantation is the only option for people with severe liver disease when long-term abstinence and medical care don’t improve their health.

What Makes India the Best Country for Liver Transplant Surgery for Foreign people?

We all know that India is quickly becoming a center for medical tourism for all types of healthcare services, making it possible for many Indian hospitals to accept patients from throughout the globe. Indian hospitals are taking advantage of the chance to provide the best medical care for those in need.

A liver transplant in India has several wonderful advantages, including:

Affordability

India is primarily recognized for its accessibility. The rupee’s position on the international market is the main factor influencing India’s affordable healthcare. It has changed the liver transplantation trend in India. The best hospital and liver transplant facilities are less costly than any hospital or institution in other wealthy countries.

Knowledge and Experience of Indian Physicians

Patients from industrialized countries like the US, UK, France, etc., hold doctors from India in high regard. They meet the needs of individuals and are recognized as some of the best in the world.

Create Facilities of the Highest Quality

Indian hospitals are comparable to those in developed countries. They are expanding continuously to compete with hospitals from wealthy countries. As we all know, a liver transplant needs specialist equipment and is a highly technical surgery, both of which Indian hospitals can provide.

Use modern technology

The most modern Indian hospitals have their own research centers and equipment and constantly search for ways to enhance patient care. Moreover, Indian medical facilities use the most recent diagnostic and treatment equipment for liver transplants. They also have no concerns about using the newest liver transplantation innovation.

Conclusion

A liver transplant surgery removes a sick liver and implants a healthy one in its place. Around 38 years have passed since such operations began. Some liver transplant recipients go on to have completely normal lives.

Artificial Liver Support Systems

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The liver is a complicated organ that carries out crucial synthesis, heat generation, purification, and regulating tasks; failure would be extremely dangerous. A few artificial liver devices started to be developed at the turn of the 20th century to be used as supportive treatment before liver transplantation.

It would be impossible to discover a suitable substitute for all the duties carried out by the liver. An affected patient’s body gets toxic when their liver fails. Acute liver failure will only take a few hours to progress into a life-threatening disease that affects all of the body’s cells. Even the brain won’t be able to perform at its best.

The only choice for treating many people with liver failure is liver transplantation, but due to a lack of donors, just one in twenty of these patients receives one.

What do synthetic liver support systems entail?

For those with acute liver failure, artificial liver support devices are becoming a more popular treatment.

 A dangerous illness with a higher mortality and morbidity rate is ALF. Hepatitis A or E or drug-induced damage are the two primary causes of ALF. Another disorder that impairs liver function and has a high death rate is ACLF.

For both ALF and ACLF, transplant is the only effective therapeutic option. Researchers have created additional therapeutic methods due to the poor success rate of transplants and the scarcity of donors.

Artificial liver supports are one such strategy. Between the time a donor becomes available and the time the patient’s liver function returns to normal, these can sustain the patient with ALF or ACLF.

Liver function

The liver is a flexible organ that performs several crucial tasks. It interacts with practically every organ system in the body, makes up around 2% of a patient’s body weight, and has a variety of purposes.

The following are a few of the liver’s key tasks:

  • Bile production: This aids in the assimilation of several vitamins and lipids.
  • Synthesis of blood plasma: The liver does this by creating certain proteins.
  • Producing cholesterol also results in the synthesis of unique proteins that aid in moving fats throughout the body.
  • The body can store extra glucose and turn it back into glucose for power when needed by turning it into glycogen.
  • Bilirubin, a yellowish component in bile, is produced due to the disintegration of red blood cells.
  • Eliminating medicines and toxins from the bloodstream The liver assists in removing poisonous and damaging compounds from the blood.
  • Additionally, it controls blood coagulation by manufacturing specific plasma proteins.

Cheaper medical care

Patients with chronic illnesses require close observation, specialized care, and recurrent hospital admissions. Because it is challenging to have this condition and hold down a career simultaneously, they frequently have a low quality of life.

Since individuals with liver failure have complicated clinical signs, including aberrant blood parameter readings, monitoring them requires specialized abilities. They must consequently have access to experts who can evaluate their medical needs. The d-LIVER initiative aims to lessen the significant economic strain that patient care places on society.

liver's key tasks- Artificial Liver Support Systems

Blood circulated through the liver

The researchers are currently working on building an artificial liver component outside of the body rather than an artificial liver inside the body. In it, cells from pigs or people survive, develop, and carry out the functions of liver cells. The reactor resembles an “incubator,” allowing the cells to increase in a three-dimensional framework.

It guarantees that the environment is suitable for the liver cells to operate well. The reactor needs to be able to regulate the temperature and deliver the proper amounts of nutrients and oxygen to each cell.

Patients experience acute liver failure, which causes waste materials to accumulate in the body and cause crisis moments. This frequently occurs when individuals have illnesses or colds, which a healthy liver is more than capable of handling.

Until they recuperate and their liver function is adequate to keep the body functioning, liver patients may benefit from therapy with an artificial liver.

Prevention is as crucial.

If we can figure out how to tell when a liver patient is starting to experience issues, we might be able to stop these issues in their tracks by altering their medical care. This is beneficial for the patient because it allows them to prevent the worst crises while being less costly and simpler for the healthcare system. For this reason, it’s critical to recognize the earliest indications that a liver isn’t working properly.

The researchers are creating wearable sensors that individuals can use to monitor their physical state and exercise since the homeostasis of the liver is directly linked to illnesses and a weakened immune system.

Summary

Support networks for acute and acute-on-chronic liver problems include artificial liver therapy. They might enable the restoration of liver function or act as a stopgap measure before a liver transplant. To prevent significant complications, it’s crucial for people who exhibit signs of acute liver illness or liver failure to speak with a physician as soon as possible.