A living donor liver transplant (LDLT) involves removing a portion of a healthy person's liver and transplanting it into a patient whose liver has failed. The remarkable ability of the liver to regenerate means both the donor's remaining liver and the recipient's new liver grow back to full size, typically within 6-8 weeks.
Why Living Donor?
In India, deceased donor organ availability is very limited. The waiting list for a deceased donor liver can be years long. Living donor transplant eliminates the wait and allows the transplant to be performed at the optimal time, before the patient deteriorates further.
Dr. Sahota established the living donor liver transplant program in Punjab and has performed over 600 successful transplants.
Who Can Be a Donor?
A living donor must:
- Be between 18 and 55 years old
- Be a blood relative or legally married spouse
- Have a compatible blood group
- Be in excellent health
- Pass a detailed medical and psychological evaluation
- Give fully informed, voluntary consent
The donor evaluation takes 1-2 weeks and is done free of cost to the donor.
The Transplant Surgery
The donor surgery takes 5-7 hours. Typically the right lobe (about 60% of the liver) is removed for an adult recipient. The remaining 40% regenerates in the donor.
The recipient surgery takes 8-12 hours. The diseased liver is removed and the donor liver segment is connected to the recipient's blood vessels and bile duct. Both surgeries happen simultaneously in adjacent operating theatres.
Recovery
Donor recovery:
- 5-7 days in hospital
- Return to normal activities in 6-8 weeks
- Full liver regeneration in 6-8 weeks
Recipient recovery:
- 10-14 days in hospital
- 3 months of close follow-up
- Immunosuppressant medications for life
- Most patients return to full normal life within 3-6 months
Outcomes
Dr. Sahota's program has achieved outcomes comparable to leading international centres. Patient survival at 1 year exceeds 90% in elective cases. Donor safety is paramount.