Wockhardt Hospital creates history, 9 month old baby undergoes liver transplant

Mumbai: Wockhardt Hospital Mumbai Central claims to have created history by performing a successful living donor liver transplant surgery for a 9 months old Baby boy Kavya Vivek Raut, weighing a 5.6 kg from Gholwad village Palghar District.

Team led by Dr Anurag Shrimal, Consultant Abdominal Organ Transplantation and HPB surgeon performs a successful surgery. He is the youngest baby who had undergone a successful liver transplant surgery in the entire Western India.

A 9 month old baby boy, Kavya weighing only 5.6 kg trouble began from birth; he was born with a disease known as Biliary Artesia where there is absence of bile ducts that carry bile from liver to intestine. At the age of 2 months he underwent major surgery (Porto-enterostomy) at an hospital in mumbai. This surgery was not successful and he ended up with permanent irreversible damage of liver – Cirrhosis of Liver. He stopped growing; his weight was stagnant at 5-6 kg, developed deep jaundice and fluid in his belly. He had couple of life threatening infections that needed hospitalization in ICU. By the time his parents Vivek and Nisha (daily wagers in their early 30’s) got him to Wockhardt, the family had exhausted all their financial resources.

Dr Lalit Verma, Consultant Pediatric Hepatologist at Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central says, “We started treating Kavya when he was just 6 months old. He had already developed Cirrhosis of Liver by then. With medial measures we tried very hard to stabilize him and let him put some weight. But he landed up with infections and the only treatment left with us was a timely transplant.”

Kavya underwent Living Donor Liver Transplant surgery with a part of liver being donated by his mother on 14th June 2018. The surgery lasted for 14 hrs. Kavya has recovered well and is ready for discharge now.

Dr Anurag Shrimal, Consultant Abdominal Organ Transplantation and HPB Surgeon at Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central led the team of doctors who performed this complex operation says, “Liver transplantation in children less than 10 kgs is technically very challenging. In Kavya’s case due to previous surgery the entire small and large intestine was densely stuck to liver. We had very carefully separated these adhesions ensuring there is no damage to the intestines and with a minimal blood loss as this kid cannot tolerate even 300-400 ml of blood loss. We removed the entire diseased liver. We harvested a very small portion of Mothers liver (left lateral segment) weighing 260gms. But even that was too big for the baby. We further reduced the harvested liver on the back-bench in cold condition using special techniques to 210gms only. We then implanted this small piece of liver in Kavya’s body by joining tiny blood vessels (3-5 mm diameter). On reperfusion (restarting the blood flow) the liver turned pink and started working immediately. After completion of operation Kavya was shifted to the PICU in stable but critical condition. A great attention to details is needed in the peri-operative period to ensure smooth recovery of such small babies. Most hospitals and doctors refrain from transplanting kids less than 10 kgs. My training at Duke University USA helped me to take this challenge.”

Dr Gaurav Gupta, Consultant Abdominal Organ Transplantation and HPB surgeon- Wockhardt Hospitals Mumbai Central says, “Nisha (Kavya’s mother) came forward to donate a part of her liver even though she is herself recovering from her delivery. She has recovered well after the operations.”

Ms. Zahabiya Khorikawala, Managing Director of Wockhardt Hospitals says, “the liver transplant program at our hospital is well equipped with cutting edge technology and the best trained surgeons, hepatologist, anesthetist and intensivist to take care of the most complex liver transplant surgeries. I can proudly say that our nurses take care of these small sick babies with compassion & Competency to ensure a rapid recovery. Our social workers leave no stone unturned to arrange for the finances not just for surgery but for the post-transplant care. With this liver transplant Wockhardt Hospitals have set up a new mile stone for performing on youngest baby with lower weight in western India.”

Nisha and Vivek (mother and father) busted in tear of joy and didn’t have word to express their happiness with their only kid getting a new life. Mr. Vivek Raut, Kavyas Father says, “Kavya proved that he is a strong boy, he tolerated the surgery and anesthesia very well. We are thankful to Wockhardt Hospital and Dr Anurag and team who is taking care of kavya very well. Dr Anurag is with us from last 15 days almost for entire day and night with support and care.”