E-Paper
On ventilator for 15 days, 54-yr-old recovers from abdominal TB and gets a new liver in Pune
Son donates liver to the patient hailing from Baramati.
Pune: A 54-year-old man from Baramati, suffering from liver failure and abdominal tuberculosis (TB), recovered successfully after a liver transplant. Suffering from end-stage liver disorder, the patient was brought to the hospital in an unconscious condition. After being on ventilator support for over two weeks and undergoing a transplant, son being the donor, the man has recovered, according to hospital authorities.
Doctors had been following up with the patient, Jaylaxman Bichkar, for over two months. He was admitted to Ruby Hall Clinic with multiple complications.
Dr Vinit Shah, gastroenterologist and hepatologist from the hospital, said, “This was a rare case of recovery where he was suffering from both liver sclerosis and abdominal TB at the same time. He was brought unconscious to the hospital and we had to put him on a ventilator immediately. For around fifteen days, he was on a ventilator. He then recovered a little and we then operated on him.”
His son became a living donor for his father. Requesting anonymity, he said, “My father was unwell for around a month before we approached the hospital. He was having sleeplessness and acidity. He had also lost weight and became weak. When the doctors diagnosed that he is suffering from liver failure and needs to undergo a liver transplant, we were worried. Initially, my father was reluctant for any surgery. But later, he agreed, when I showed the willingness to donate liver for him. Post-surgery we are seeing a huge difference in his health. I am happy that he is able to live a life that he was living before surgery.”
Dr Shah said, “First, we started his treatment for TB and when he was stabilised from that, we performed a liver transplant on him.”
Dr Sachin Palnitkar, city-based hepatologist, said, “These cases are challenging too. In some cases, it is seen that TB tablets lead to liver failure. But in such cases, the end result is fruitful if a liver transplant is done. Post liver transplant immunosuppressant drugs are given. Managing TB cases with immunosuppressant drugs is a challenging task because it has to be ensured that TB does not become resistant to drugs. Hence, modification of TB treatment and healthy recovery post-transplant is challenging in such cases.”
