Best Liver Transplant Surgeons in India
Following is a list of the most reputed & experienced Liver Transplant Surgeons in India.
*If you need any help from us, please fill the contact form at the bottom of the page. You may also chat with us on WhatsApp or Telegram by clicking the chat buttons below the page. Wishing you the best!
- Liver Transplant Surgeon and HPB Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 33 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Subhash Gupta is one of the finest Gastrointestinal and Liver Transplant Surgeons in the country. He has garnered an outstanding reputation in the field of Biliary, pancreas, and liver transplantation.
- He has conducted over 300 Living Donor Liver Transplants in the year 2013 each lasting 10-16 hours long.
- Dr. Subhash Gupta is also known to pioneer the development of Living Donor Transplant or LDLT.
- Liver Transplant Surgeon, Gurugram, India
- Over 21 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Known to be a pioneer in the field of liver transplantation, Dr. Arvinder Singh Soin leads one of the world’s most successful liver transplant programs at Medanta. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Institute of Liver Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, at Medanata- The Medicity, Gurgaon, India.
- Quite renowned for having a 95 percent success rate, and having performed over 2500 liver transplants throughout his career, Dr. Arvinder Singh Soin was awarded the Padma Shri by the President of India, for his contributions to the field of Medicine.
- Liver Transplant & HPB Surgeon, Gurugram, India
- Over 17 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Vivek Vij is considered one of the most reputed liver transplant surgeons who has over 17 years of proficient experience and has performed multiple exemplary medical procedures involving advanced surgical skills that cover the entire gamut of gastroenterological surgeries.
- Dr. Vivek Vij’s expertise lies in Adult & Paediatric Liver Transplant, Complex Liver Surgery, Advanced Pancreato-biliary Surgeries, Advanced Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeries, Basic Science Research, and Regenerative Medicine. His outstanding expertise in liver transplant procedures has earned him many accolades and prestige.
- Liver Transplant Surgeon and HPB Surgeon, Chennai, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. (Prof.) Mohamed Rela is known as one of the best liver transplant surgeons in the world. His name has also entered the Guinness Book of Records for performing liver transplantation of a 5-day-old baby.
- With more than 30 years of experience, Dr. Rela is known as a pioneer in liver transplantation & hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery.
- Dr. Mohamed Rela is the Chairman and Director of Dr. Rela Institute and Medical Centre, Chennai, India; and the Professor of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, at King’s College, Hospital in London as well.
- During his career of almost 30 years, Dr. Rela has performed over 4500 liver transplantations worldwide.
- Liver Transplant Surgeon & HPB Surgeon, Gurugram, India
- Over 15 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Giriraj Singh Bora is a liver transplant surgeon, who is known for being the founder member of the Liver Transplant Society of India.
- He is the first doctor to transplant a liver in Rajasthan. He is also known for carrying out the first deceased donor and the first living donor liver transplants in Rajasthan and has also been instrumental in starting a liver transplant program in the region.
- Liver Transplant & HPB Surgeon, Gurugram, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Ajitabh Srivastava is a reputed HPB and Liver Transplant surgeon in India.
- He has been a key member of teams that performed over 1500 liver transplants including living donors, deceased donors, pediatric transplants, and combined liver and kidney transplants.
- He is an expert in other complex procedures involving hepatobiliary surgery, combined liver, and Kidney Transplant, and vascular access surgery.
- Surgical Gastroenterologist, Liver Transplant Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 18 years experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Neerav Goyal is one of the best Liver transplant surgeons in India. He is the Head of the Apollo Liver Transplant, Hepatobiliary, and Pancreatic Surgery unit in New Delhi.
- Dr. Neerav Goyal is providing the best care to patients with Hepatectomy/ liver transplant in case of liver cancer or liver cirrhosis, surgeries for pancreatic cancer, etc.
- He is a Gold Medalist practitioner who performs complex surgeries with success.
- Dr. Goyal has performed over 2100 liver transplants in his 18 years of experience. This also includes 500+ cadaver liver transplants and 220 pediatric liver transplants.
- Liver Transplant Surgeon & HPB Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Bhushan Bhole is a well-known Liver Transplant Surgeon & HPB Surgeon who has done Advanced Fellowship in Liver Transplantation & Fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery, in Birmingham, UK.
- He is an active member of several national surgical associations such as ASI, IASG, IHPBA, ACRSI, MAS, IAGES, IHA & IMA. He has also been awarded many fellowships like FACRSI, IAGES & FMAS.
- Liver Transplant Surgeon & HPB Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 19 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Shailendra Lalwani is a renowned gastroenterologist at Manipal Hospitals, Dwarka, New Delhi, who has over 19 years of experience as a specialist. His expertise lies in Liver Transplantation and Hepato-pancreatic biliary surgery.
- For his outstanding contributions to the field of gastroenterology, Dr. Shailendra Lalwani has been honored with several awards and recognition. He is also an active member of the Delhi Medical Council.
- Liver Transplant Surgeon and HPB Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- With over 20 years of experience in performing complex operations for cancer, and other diseases involving the pancreas, liver, and gall bladder, Dr. Anupam Saha has been the foremost gastro intestinal and Hepato-Pancreato-biliary surgeon of the Indian Armed Forces.
- He did a 1-year fellowship in Liver Transplantation as well, at King’s College Hospital, London.
- For his service, Dr. Anupam Saha has also been awarded the Vishist Sewa Medal by the Armed Forces.
Liver Transplant
Liver transplant is a surgical procedure in which a liver that can’t function properly is removed to replace it with a healthy liver from a deceased donor. It can also be replaced with a partial healthy liver from a living donor.
The liver is one of the body’s most vital organs and an individual can’t survive without it. The liver performs several critical functions, which includes-
- Processing the nutrients, hormones and medications
- Producing bile, which can help the body in absorbing fats, cholesterol as well as fat-soluble vitamins
- Removing degradation products of normal body metabolism
- Removing bacterial as well as toxins from the blood
- Preventing infections as well as regulating immune responses
A liver transplant is considered an option for people who are suffering from different kinds of severe complications due to chronic liver disease. Sometimes liver transplant is also considered a treatment option in rare cases where a previously healthy liver stops functioning all of a sudden.
Who Needs a Liver Transplant?
People requiring liver transplants usually have one or more of the following conditions:
Acute Liver Failure
Acute liver failure also known as fulminant hepatic failure, takes place when a healthy liver suffers injury due to which clinical signs and symptoms of liver insufficiency can be noticed. Multiple reasons can lead to acute liver failure, though the most commonly attributed reasons are acetaminophen overdose, viral infections, and ingestions of toxins like poisonous mushrooms. Unlike patients suffering from chronic liver disease who can survive from weeks to years without any kind of transplant, the patients of acute liver failure die within days if they don’t receive a transplant.
Chronic Liver Failure
The liver has an ability to repair itself in response to injury, although repeated injury and repair over many years can permanently scar the liver. The end-stage of this scarring is known as cirrhosis. It corresponds to the point where the liver is not able to repair itself anymore. When a person suffers from cirrhosis, he/she can show signs of inadequate liver function, which is labeled as ‘decompensated liver disease.’ Medications can help in decreasing the symptoms, but liver transplant is the only situation for a permanent cure.
Some of the major causes of cirrhosis that lead to liver failure include:
- Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C
- Alcoholic liver disease that can cause damage to the liver due to excessive consumption of alcohol
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition where fat eventually builds up in the liver and causes inflammation or liver cell damage
- Genetic diseases that affect the liver such as hemochromatosis, that causes an excessive iron buildup in the liver and Wilson’s disease, causing an excessive copper buildup in the liver
- Diseases that affect the bile ducts, which include primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangiti and biliary atresia. Biliary atresia can be seen to be the most common reason for liver transplant among children.
A liver transplant can also be used to treat certain cancers that originate in one’s liver.
Preparing for the Liver Transplant
Choosing a transplant center
If your doctor recommends a liver transplant, you might be referred to a transplant center as well, though you are also free to choose one of your own or from your insurance company’s list of preferred providers.
- When you are considering a transplant, you should remember to learn about the types of transplants they perform and how many are performed each year.
- Also make an inquiry about the center’s survival rates. Try to understand the additional services they will provide as well, such as coordination of support groups, helping with local housing for the period of your recovery, etc.
- Also understand the overall costs that you will have to incur before, during and after your transplant.
Once you have selected your transplant center, you will require evaluation in order to determine whether you meet the eligibility requirements of the center. Therefore, you might need to undergo an evaluation at a different center, where a process will determine whether you are healthy enough to have surgery, whether you have any medical conditions that can interfere with the transplant and whether you are willing to take the required medications.
You will next undergo specific tests and procedures, which includes:
- Laboratory tests, which can include blood or urine tests, to access the overall health of your organs
- Heart tests, in order to determine how strong and healthy your cardiovascular system is
- Imaging tests, such as ultrasound of your liver
- A general health exam, which will include routine cancer screening tests to evaluate your overall health as well as to check for any other ailments that can impact the success of your transplant.
In addition to this, you might also need nutritional counseling, financial counseling, and psychological evaluation prior to the transplant.
Before the Procedure
After your tests are done, doctors will evaluate them to know the severity of your illness and how urgently you require your transplant. Your place on the waiting list will have to determined by this. Some people can receive a new liver after just a few days or weeks, while some people may need to wait years or even never receive a transplant.
Staying healthy
Staying healthy and active is extremely important, whether you are waiting for a donated liver or your surgery has already been scheduled. This will lead to speedy recovery as well. Keep all appointments with your healthcare team and also take your medications as prescribed by medical professionals.
Types of organ donors
Brain-dead organ donors
Most of the livers that we use for transplantation are obtained from patients who are brain dead. Brain death is caused as a result of a large stroke or massive trauma to the head due to a blunt injury or a penetrating injury. This kind of trauma can stop all brain functions although other organs such as the liver can continue to function properly.
Cardiac death organ donors
Sometimes when a patient suffers a devastating brain injury as well as carries a dismal neurological prognosis but doesn’t meat the strict criteria of brain death as there is still brain function, the patient’s family can choose to withdraw life-sustaining medical support in such a situation to allow the death of the patient. In such a scenario, it is defined as cardiac death rather than brain death. After this, if the family gives consent, organ donation can take place.
Living donors
Although all individuals have only one liver, it is actually possible to donate a portion of the liver for transplantation into another individual. The segmental anatomy can allow surgeons to create grafts of different sizes which depend upon the recipient’s requirement for liver tissue. The partial livers in the donor and as well as the recipient can grow eventually and provide the normal liver function for both of them.
During the Procedure
Deceased Donor Transplant
After you have been notified that a liver from a deceased donor is available, you should go to your hospital immediately and soon you’ll undergo an exam to make sure whether you are healthy enough for surgery.
General anesthesia is used during liver transplant surgery, so you will be sedated during the entire procedure.
The transplant surgeon begins by making a long incision across your abdomen in order to access your liver. According to your surgeon’s approach and your anatomy, the location and size of the incision can vary. Next, the surgeon will remove the diseased liver and place the donor liver into your body.
Once this is done, your surgeon will connect your blood vessels and the bile ducts to the donor’s liver. Depending on the severity of your condition, the surgery might even take up to 12 hours.
Once the new liver has been put in place, the surgeon uses stitches as well as staples to close the incision. After this is done, you are taken to the intensive care unit so that you can begin recovery.
Living-donor liver transplant
If you are receiving your new liver from a living donor, the surgery will have to be scheduled in advance.
Initially, the donor is operated upon and the portion of the liver for transplant is removed. After this, surgeons remove the diseased liver, after which the new donated liver portion is placed in your body. After this, they connect your blood vessel and bile ducts to the new liver
The transplanted liver portion in your body as well as the portion left behind in the donor’s body, generates rapidly and within several weeks it can reach normal volume.
After the Procedure
After your procedure is complete, you may have to stay in the intensive care unit for some days. Medical professionals will need to monitor your condition and also watch for signs of complications. They will also test your liver function frequently to look for signs that the new liver is working. Once you are out of the intensive care unit, you will need to stay for some days in a transplant recovery area.
Your transplant team can design a checkup schedule for you and you might need to undergo blood tests a few times every week. After the transplant, you will also need to take medications such as immunosuppressants for the rest of your life. This drug keeps your immune system from attacking your new liver, while other drugs can help reduce the risk of complications.
To be fully healed might require up to six months. How much time it takes also depends on how severe your condition was, prior to the transplant.
After the transplant, you can choose to join a support group for transplant recipients. It is also quite important to eat a well-balanced diet in order to help you recover and keep the liver healthy.
Risks and complications
Like most transplants, liver surgery carries a risk of significant complications, which are associated with the procedure itself as well as the drugs that are required to prevent rejection of the donor’s liver once the transplant is complete. Some of the risks that can come with the procedure include:
- Bile duct complications, which can include shrinking of the bile ducts or bile duct leaks
- Bleeding
- Blood clots
- Failure of a donated liver
- Infection
- Rejection of donated liver
- Mental confusion or seizures
If the complications that occur are long-term, it might also lead to the recurrence of the liver disease in the transplanted liver.
Medication side effects
After a liver transplant you will need to take medications for the rest of your life in order to prevent your body from rejecting the new liver. However, these anti-rejection medications can cause multiple side-effects, such as-
- Bone thinning
- Diabetes
- Diarrhea
- High Cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Headaches
Since the anti-rejection drugs work by suppressing the immune system, they increase the chances of infection as well.
How to Find and Choose the Best Liver Transplant Surgeons in India
One of your most important organs is your liver. It carries out so many complicated tasks that no mechanical or medical substitute can take its place. You cannot live without a functioning liver. And if your liver ever stops functioning properly, then you may need a liver transplant.
Now, there are many different causes of liver disease, some of which are out of our control and others of which may be avoided. A liver transplant may be your only chance to survive if liver disease reaches its final stage, i.e., chronic liver failure. This liver condition is severe and potentially fatal. Several liver diseases can be the cause of it.
An obvious cause of end-stage liver disease is cirrhosis, a type of chronic liver disease. It occurs when scar tissue takes the place of healthy liver tissue. As a result, the liver cannot function normally. Other causes include acute hepatic necrosis, biliary atresia, viral hepatitis, metabolic disorders, primary liver tumors, and autoimmune hepatitis.
Liver failure can develop either gradually (chronic) or suddenly (acute). Chronic liver failure develops over months or years, while acute liver failure develops with a sudden decline in liver function.
If your doctor has exhausted all other options for treating your disease and considers you healthy enough for surgery, then they may advise you to go for a liver transplant.
A liver transplant is a surgical procedure that replaces a damaged liver with a healthy liver from another person. In this procedure, the liver can be transplanted completely or in parts.
Most commonly, the liver comes from a deceased donor, though in some cases, a healthy living person can also donate a portion of their liver. This donor could be a family member or a non-related person with a compatible blood type.
Now, one of the most fascinating aspects of liver transplantation is the liver’s exceptional ability to regenerate. This means that people who donate a portion of their liver can still live normal, healthy lives. Both the remaining liver tissue in the donor and the transplanted portion in the recipient will regrow to their original size over time. This amazing characteristic highlights the body’s remarkable ability to heal and further underscores the effectiveness of liver transplant surgery.
If your doctor considers you a good candidate for a liver transplant, then they may direct you to a transplant center for further evaluation. Here, specialists will conduct various tests and determine your eligibility for the transplant. If approved, your name will be added to a national waiting list.
Unfortunately, there are significantly more patients in need of transplants than there are organs available from deceased donors. Thus, the wait period can be excruciatingly long. However, once a suitable donor becomes available, you will be notified immediately and brought to the hospital for surgery.
If the donor is a living person, the surgery will be pre-scheduled and performed on both the donor and you simultaneously. For that, the donor has to be in good health and have a compatible blood type that matches your blood. Additionally, the donor will also be taken for a psychiatric examination. This is to ensure that the person making the decision is comfortable.
Once everything is sorted out, your doctor will perform the liver transplant surgery. Post-surgery, you may have to stay in the hospital for a few days. Depending on your health and the methods of your doctor, procedures could change.
Furthermore, to ensure the transplanted liver survives in your body, your doctor will prescribe certain medicines, which you may have to take for the rest of your life. These medications, known as immunosuppressants, work by weakening your immune system’s response.
The good news is that there are always new anti-rejection medications being developed and approved. Thus, to ensure the best possible outcome and reduce the risk of side effects, your doctor will design a personalized prescription plan.
Therefore, for a successful liver transplant surgery, you will need a dedicated team of healthcare professionals. This team of healthcare professionals may typically include surgeons, hepatologists (liver specialists), nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, nutritionists, and social workers.
In addition, pathologists and interventional radiologists who specialize in liver transplants may also assist in the proper diagnosis and management of liver disease and liver cancer progression before liver transplant surgery.
All these details only emphasize how important it is to select the best liver transplant surgeon. Since the procedure’s result is directly impacted by the surgeon’s competence, it is essential to find a doctor who not only has enough experience but also possesses the skills required for a liver transplant surgery. Even though India is home to numerous accomplished and skilled surgeons, however, finding the right liver transplant surgeon can sometimes be a little challenging.
That’s why, to help you make a smart decision, this article explores some important factors to think about when choosing the best surgeon for your liver transplant.
Key Factors to Be Considered in Choosing the Best Liver Transplant Surgeons in India
Years of Experience
A liver transplant is regarded as a technically challenging surgery. One explanation is that the liver has a rich blood supply. Hence, liver surgeons must be trained in unique techniques to manage bleeding.
While selecting a liver transplant surgeon, you must exercise caution to guarantee successful treatment. The number of patients the doctor has treated is one factor to consider. Apart from that, the success rate of the doctor is also important.
While experience and expertise are not always connected, surgeons with a proven track record of successful transplants often possess a high level of competence.
Additionally, look for surgeons who are skilled in the most recent techniques for managing advanced liver diseases.
The ideal liver transplant team comprises surgeons with specialized training in cutting-edge methods for treating end-stage liver diseases. These renowned medical professionals possess expertise in both adult and pediatric liver and biliary surgery. This extensive skill set guarantees that the team can handle a wide variety of patients with different requirements efficiently.
So while selecting the best liver transplant surgeons in India, we give the surgeon’s years of experience the utmost importance. Even if experience and expertise are not always related, it is evident that doctors with at least more years of experience are much more competent than doctors with less experience.
Besides, top liver transplant surgeons constantly advance their knowledge along with the constant development of the medical profession. They are dedicated to improving patient outcomes and keeping up with new surgical techniques and medical advancements. Hence, we have ensured that our list of the top liver transplant surgeons is acquainted with the most up-to-date strategies and treatment approaches to speed your recovery. You can anticipate that you will receive a high-quality course of care if he/ she is updated on the latest treatment procedures.
Moreover, since our website caters primarily to international patients who travel abroad for critical cases, we made it a priority to include some of the best liver transplant surgeons in India.
Academic Qualifications
When selecting the best liver transplant surgeons in India, several key factors come into play and academic qualifications are one of them.
Top surgeons possess exceptional academic qualifications, including rigorous training, relevant accreditations, and authorization to perform liver transplants. These surgeons demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning by being open to new ideas through research participation, professional organization involvement, and attendance at medical conferences.
While an MBBS degree is the prerequisite for practicing medicine in India, most of the country’s best liver transplant surgeons also go for esteemed national and international fellowships. This extra training further guarantees they have the specific knowledge and expertise required for a successful liver transplant.
Thus, while compiling the list of the best liver transplant surgeons in India, the academic qualifications of the surgeons were carefully taken into account. In addition, the credentials of the surgeons were also kept in mind, including their knowledge and skills, certification, and validation to do any specific type of liver transplant surgery.
Reputation of the Graduating University of the Doctors
When choosing the best liver transplant surgeons, consideration was also given to the standing of the university from which they graduated. The list includes graduates from notable medical institutions.
Reputation of the Practicing Hospital
When looking for the best liver transplant surgeons in India, again it is important to consider the reputation of the hospital where they are currently practicing.
Look for hospitals that provide expert surgical care for a wide range of liver, bile duct, and pancreas conditions, including performing routine living-donor liver transplants.
The hospitals should have experience doing HPB surgery and liver transplants on the robotic surgical platform. In addition, a skilled nursing and technical support team, a standard ICU for liver transplants, and an advanced critical care unit should all be present at the hospitals to offer the best possible patient care.
In addition to the best infrastructure and tools, a good doctor requires a supportive environment to perform well. The top liver transplant surgeons go above and beyond to protect their patients. This can be achieved by using cutting-edge medical technology, using minimally invasive techniques, and abiding by stringent surgical restrictions when carrying out the treatment.
Look for hospitals employing the advanced da Vinci robotic surgical system for liver transplants and HPB surgeries. These hospitals should have cutting-edge systems and modular operating rooms that adhere to international standards. The rooms should be equipped with cutting-edge technology and clear monitoring systems so that surgeons can perform procedures with exceptional precision.
Furthermore, the best surgeons are characterized by excellent preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care as well as by low infection rates. Thus, for a seamless medical experience and patient satisfaction, the OPD area, the operating room, the surgical equipment, the recovery room, and every other section of the hospital must be excellent.
Considering the above-mentioned aspects, we only select the top liver transplant surgeons who work in hospitals with excellent facilities and who have passed the examination of agencies like NABH and JCI.
Diversified Experience of Doctors
Although it is taken into consideration, the range of experience among liver transplant surgeons is not a critical factor. In comparison to other types of medical facilities, government hospitals, military hospitals, and, trust-run hospitals often see a wider variety of patients, potentially providing surgeons with exposure to a broader range of cases. Some of the names on our featured doctors’ list were selected with this aspect in mind.
Patient Feedback and Doctors' Overall Reputation
Patient reviews and the surgeon’s overall reputation in the medical community have been regarded as the most important and final criteria in compiling a list of the top liver transplant surgeons in India.
As a leading medical assistance company, Ginger Healthcare speaks with hundreds of patients each month in hospitals throughout the nation. As a result, we frequently hear from people getting liver transplants in hospitals all around India. When preparing the list of the top Liver Transplant Surgeons in India, we spoke with our staff and selected the names of the doctors based on our collective input throughout the years.
So if you’re looking for a liver transplant surgeon in India, Ginger Healthcare can come to your aid. We sincerely hope that these suggestions will offer you the assurance you need to choose the top liver transplant surgeons in India.
We hope you found the list helpful. If and when you receive treatment from any of the listed doctors, kindly provide us with feedback. We’re wishing you success!