Frequently Asked Questions

Transplant evaluation is a comprehensive assessment over 1 to 2 weeks. For the recipient: blood and urine tests, imaging of the abdomen and chest, heart and lung assessment, psychological evaluation, and a social support assessment.

The donor undergoes a parallel but separate evaluation: blood work, liver volumetry (CT-based), vascular anatomy mapping, and independent counselling.

Absolute contraindications include: active uncontrolled infection outside the liver, advanced heart or lung disease, active alcohol or substance abuse, liver cancer that has spread beyond the liver, and certain other cancers.

Many patients initially declined at other centres have been successfully transplanted at DMC&H after targeted treatment of complicating conditions.

For a living donor transplant, from the time a suitable donor is identified, evaluation and surgical planning typically takes 3 to 6 weeks. For cadaveric transplant, the timeline depends on organ availability.

Patients in acute liver failure are evaluated on an emergency basis and may be listed for urgent transplant within days.

The total cost varies depending on complexity and hospital stay duration. At DMC&H Ludhiana, costs are significantly lower than at private hospitals in Delhi or Mumbai, without compromising on quality.

A detailed cost estimate is provided at the time of evaluation. Ayushman Bharat may cover part of the cost for eligible patients. Dr. Sahota's team assists with insurance paperwork.

Yes. Dr. Sahota's patients come from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir. The team can assist with travel coordination, accommodation near DMC&H, and teleconsultation for initial assessment before travelling.

Yes. For patients who cannot travel, a teleconsultation can be arranged. Share your recent blood reports and imaging (ultrasound or CT of the abdomen). Dr. Sahota will advise whether an in-person visit and formal evaluation is warranted.

Contact the team by WhatsApp or email. A member of the team will respond within 24 hours.

DMC&H is empanelled with several government insurance schemes, including Ayushman Bharat. Many corporate and private health insurance policies also cover liver transplant surgery. The administrative staff will verify your coverage and assist with pre-authorisation.

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic (HPB) surgery covers conditions affecting the liver, bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreas. Common procedures include: liver resection for tumours, pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple's procedure) for pancreatic and bile duct cancers, surgery for portal hypertension, and bile duct repair and reconstruction.

Liver resection in a patient with underlying cirrhosis requires careful planning. The extent of resection that is safe depends on the functional reserve of the remaining liver. Not all patients are candidates.

For patients where the residual liver volume would be insufficient, portal vein embolisation (PVE) can be used to stimulate growth in the remaining liver before surgery.

ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) uses a flexible camera passed through the mouth to visualise and treat problems in the bile ducts and pancreatic duct. It is used to remove bile duct stones, relieve obstruction with a stent, or take tissue samples. It is a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery for many biliary conditions.

A liver transplant is needed when the liver has lost enough function that it can no longer sustain life. Common causes include advanced cirrhosis (from alcohol, hepatitis B/C, or NASH), acute liver failure, and certain liver cancers.

In a living donor liver transplant (LDLT), a healthy person, usually a blood relative, donates approximately 60 to 70% of their liver. Both the donor and recipient livers regenerate to full size within 6 to 8 weeks. In a deceased donor (cadaveric) transplant, the whole liver comes from a brain-dead donor. Living donor transplants can be planned and scheduled, which often leads to better outcomes.

Dr. Sahota performs both types. Most transplants at DMC&H are living donor due to the limited cadaveric organ availability in India.

At high-volume centres, 1-year patient survival is above 90% and 5-year survival is 75 to 80% for most disease categories. Outcomes for living donor transplants are generally slightly better than cadaveric.

After the first year, most patients live with good quality of life on long-term immunosuppression.

Yes, in selected cases. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within the Milan criteria — one tumour up to 5 cm or up to three tumours each under 3 cm, with no vascular invasion — are eligible for transplant.

Patients outside Milan criteria may be downstaged with treatments such as TACE before being re-evaluated for transplant eligibility.

Yes. Dr. Sahota performs paediatric liver transplants, including the first paediatric liver transplant in Madhya Pradesh. Children are typically transplanted using the left lateral segment of a living donor's liver. Common indications include biliary atresia, metabolic liver diseases, and acute liver failure.

A living donor must typically be between 18 and 55 years old, in excellent health, with a compatible blood type, and willing to donate without coercion. A full donor workup is carried out: blood tests, liver imaging, volumetric analysis, and psychiatric assessment.

In India, donors are usually first or second-degree relatives. Unrelated donors require government body approval.

Living liver donation is a major surgery with real risks. At experienced centres, the risk of serious complication is approximately 5 to 10%, and the risk of death is less than 0.5%. The remaining liver grows back to near-full size within 6 to 8 weeks.

Donor safety is treated as a priority equal to or greater than recipient outcome. Donors are never pressured and are evaluated independently.

Donors are usually discharged 5 to 7 days after surgery. Return to light work takes 4 to 6 weeks; strenuous activity should be avoided for 3 months. Most donors return to normal life within 2 to 3 months with no lasting impact on daily function.

Most recipients spend 2 to 3 weeks in hospital. The first 48 to 72 hours are in the ICU; most patients are extubated within 24 hours if the surgery goes well. The subsequent ward stay covers monitoring, medication adjustment, and physiotherapy.

All transplant recipients take immunosuppressant medications for life to prevent rejection. The most commonly used drugs include tacrolimus, mycophenolate, and a tapering course of steroids.

Additional medications may include antiviral drugs, antifungal and antibacterial prophylaxis, and blood pressure or bone health medications. Dr. Sahota's team provides a full written medication plan before discharge.

Most patients return to sedentary or light work within 3 to 4 months. Physically demanding jobs may take 6 months or longer. Driving is usually possible around 6 to 8 weeks after surgery.

Light exercise can resume progressively from 6 to 8 weeks. The majority of transplant patients lead fully independent, active lives.

Follow-up is intensive in the first 3 months: blood tests and clinic visits typically weekly, then fortnightly, then monthly. After the first year, stable patients may follow up every 3 to 6 months.

Patients from outside Punjab can arrange teleconsultation follow-ups once they are stable.

Rejection occurs when the immune system attacks the transplanted liver. Acute rejection is usually detected on routine blood tests and treated with a short course of high-dose steroids. Most acute rejection episodes resolve completely.

Chronic rejection is rarer and may require adjustment of the immunosuppression regimen. This is why regular blood monitoring is non-negotiable.