Liver Transplant in Delhi: Who Needs It and How It Works

Fortis Hospital Okhla is a leading liver transplant hospital in Delhi. Find out who needs a liver transplant, how the process works, and why our team delivers exceptional outcomes.

For patients with end-stage liver disease, a liver transplant is not simply a treatment option; it is often the only path to survival. India has seen a significant increase in liver transplant activity over the past decade, with Delhi-NCR emerging as one of the country's foremost centres for hepatobiliary surgery.

What Is a Liver Transplant?

A liver transplant is a major surgical procedure in which a diseased or failing liver is replaced with a healthy liver, either from a deceased donor (cadaveric transplant) or from a living donor who donates a portion of their liver (living donor liver transplant, LDLT).

The liver is the only internal organ capable of regeneration. In living donor transplants, both the donated portion and the remaining liver in the donor grow back to near-normal size within weeks, a remarkable biological process that has made LDLT increasingly common in India.

Who Needs a Liver Transplant?

A liver transplant is considered when the liver can no longer function adequately to sustain life, and no other medical or surgical treatment can restore function. The most common conditions leading to transplant evaluation include:

Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis

• Alcohol-related cirrhosis
• Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) progressing to cirrhosis
• Chronic viral hepatitis (hepatitis B or hepatitis C-related cirrhosis)
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC)
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)

Acute Liver Failure

Sudden, severe liver failure caused by drug toxicity, viral hepatitis, or other triggers can require urgent transplantation if the liver cannot recover spontaneously.

Liver Cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within defined criteria (most commonly the Milan Criteria) may be treated with liver transplantation, which simultaneously removes the tumour and replaces the diseased liver.

Genetic and Metabolic Liver Diseases

• Wilson's disease
• Haemochromatosis
• Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
• Certain metabolic conditions in children (paediatric liver transplantation)

How Is Eligibility Assessed?

Not every patient with liver disease is a transplant candidate. Our multidisciplinary liver transplant team conducts a thorough evaluation that includes hepatologists, transplant surgeons, anaesthesiologists, cardiologists, and nephrologists. Assessment includes:

• MELD score calculation (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) — the standard tool for prioritising transplant urgency
• Comprehensive imaging of the liver, bile ducts, and blood vessels
• Cardiac and pulmonary function assessment
• Nutritional evaluation
• Psychosocial and compliance assessment

Patients who have active alcohol use, uncontrolled infections, advanced cancer outside the liver, or severe comorbidities may not be suitable candidates. Our team provides honest, compassionate counselling to every patient and family during this process.

Living Donor vs. Deceased Donor Transplant

In India, living donor liver transplants are significantly more common than deceased donor transplants, primarily because the national deceased donor programme remains underdeveloped relative to the need.

A living donor — typically a close family member — donates a portion of their liver (usually the right lobe for adult recipients). This requires:

• The donor must be between 18 and 55 years of age and in excellent health
• Blood group compatibility with the recipient
• Detailed imaging and functional assessment of the donor's liver
• Full informed consent and psychological evaluation

Donor safety is paramount. Our surgical team at Fortis Okhla has extensive experience in minimising donor risk while optimising the quality of the transplanted graft.

What Does the Surgery Involve?

For the recipient, the transplant surgery typically takes 8 to 12 hours. The diseased liver is removed, and the donor liver is carefully connected to the recipient's blood vessels and bile ducts.

Recovery involves:

• 5 to 10 days in the ICU for close monitoring
• A further 2 to 3 weeks of hospital stay
• Lifelong immunosuppressant medications to prevent rejection
• Regular follow-up appointments with the hepatology team

Most patients can return to normal daily activities within three to six months of transplantation.

Outcomes and Long-Term Survival

Advances in surgical technique, immunosuppression, and post-transplant care have transformed liver transplant outcomes. At experienced centres such as Fortis Okhla:

• One-year survival rates exceed 90% for elective transplants
• Five-year survival rates range between 75% and 85%
• Most patients return to a near-normal quality of life

Long-term success depends on adherence to immunosuppression, regular monitoring, lifestyle modifications, and prompt attention to any signs of rejection or infection.

Why Fortis Escorts Okhla for a liver transplant?

• Experienced liver transplant team with a strong track record in both living and cadaveric transplants
• Advanced hepatobiliary surgical infrastructure and a dedicated liver transplant ICU
• Comprehensive pre-transplant and post-transplant care pathways
• Multidisciplinary expertise spanning hepatology, transplant surgery, critical care, and nutrition
• Convenient access for patients across Delhi, NCR, and from across India

If you or a family member has been told that liver transplantation may be necessary, do not delay seeking expert evaluation. Early assessment can make a critical difference to outcomes. Speak to our liver transplant team at Fortis Hospital, Okhla, today.