At T.N.’s largest State hospital, cadaveric liver transplants pick up pace with 15 procedures in 24 months and 100% survival

After RGGGH started to perform cadaveric liver transplants, the number of patients has also increased. Photograph used for representational purposes only
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From nil liver transplants two years ago, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), Tamil Nadu’s largest government hospital, has gone on to perform 15 deceased donor liver transplants so far, with a 100% survival rate.

RGGGH carried out its first cadaveric liver transplant on February 10, 2023. Eight liver transplants were performed that year, followed by five more in 2024. Two liver transplants have been performed so far this year, with the latest one on February 1, according to hospital authorities.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the State government and Rela Hospital, signed in 2022, to perform liver transplants and simultaneously train teams, along with the setting up of a dedicated liver transplant operation theatre and an intensive care unit (ICU), helped RGGGH launch the much-needed programme and cater to the rising number of patients on the waiting list for transplantation.

“Through the MoU, our surgeons, anaesthetists, staff nurses, operation theatre technicians, and paramedical staff underwent intensive training at Rela Hospital. Now, 70% of the organ retrieval work is done by our team. Going forward, we want our team to be completely independent in performing the transplantation. This way, we can impart training to whichever government hospital that wants their doctors to get trained in liver transplants in the State, ” E. Theranirajan, Dean of RGGGH, said.

C. Sugumar, Director, Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, RGGGH, said that after every liver transplant, the team, which includes doctors from surgical gastroenterology, hepatology, anaesthesiology, radiology, and diabetology hold a meeting to address complications in the patient. If needed, specialists from other departments such as cardiology are also called in for the meeting. “We hold a meeting for half an hour every day. This way, we are able to reduce complications in patients,” he said.

Dr. Theranirajan said this multidisciplinary approach helps them to address issues, if any, in patients, and take up corrective measures. “The team takes a collective decision. This has helped in achieving a 100% survival rate. As of now, we are taking it slowly, and want our teams to focus on one patient at a time,” he said.

Patient numbers rising

After RGGGH started to perform cadaveric liver transplants, the number of patients has also increased. The hospital is among the very few government institutions performing liver transplants in the State. The others are Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, Chennai, and Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai.

“Earlier, we had two to three patients per blood group. Now, we have five to six patients per blood group on the waiting list,” Dr. Sugumar said. He added that there is better awareness on organ donations among the public now.