A renowned liver transplant surgeon of India, Dr Neerav Goyal Saturday said the Hepatitis C and intake of heavy fat diet were the main reasons for liver failure in Kashmir.“As per initial assessment of patients coming from Valley, I came to know that Hepatitis C and fatty liver are the main causes of liver failure and most of them needed transplant,” he said addressing media on the sidelines of a free OPD.Dr Goyal, who is a senior consultant Liver Transplant Surgery at Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi said other causes of liver disease among Kashmiri patients are chronic Hepatitis B and Autoimmune Hepatitis.“In children born the congenital liver defects like biliary atresia, Wilsons disease, Criggler Najjar syndrome are common causes of liver failure,” he said.He informed that Liver Transplant Center of Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi which is one of the best liver transplant centers in the world was planning to start a transplant center in Kashmir in association with some local hospital or organisation.“Seeing the proportion of liver disease in the Valley, there should a center here also and we are working out on that,” Dr Goyal said.He also highlighted the lifestyle disorders among the local people and chronic conditions which leads to Liver transplant and the procedure for liver donation.“The liver is the second most commonly transplanted major organ, after the kidney, so it is clear that liver disease is a common and serious problem.
It is important for liver transplant candidates and their families to understand the basic process involved with liver transplants, to appreciate some of the challenges and complications that face liver transplant recipients (people who receive livers), and to recognize symptoms that should alert recipients to seek medical help,” he said.According to him the liver has many vital functions. It is a powerhouse that produces varied substances in the body.“Liver disease occurs when these essential functions are disrupted. Liver transplants are needed when damage to the liver severely impairs a person's health and quality of life.It's rare, but fat can build up in your liver when a woman is pregnant. This could be risky for both you and your baby. A timely transplant done on a patient who is in a reasonable condition, with a good donor liver has excellent outcomes,” he said.
“Liver Donation is also possible from a living donor who is a relative of the recipient who can donate half of his/her liver. The donor operation is entirely safe and the half liver quickly regenerates in both the donor and the recipient in a few weeks. In the first few days after operation even when regeneration is not complete, the half liver is enough to maintain normal donor functions due to the immense reserve in the liver.””, said Dr Neerav Goyal.