SHOW OF STRENGTH: Global Hospitals Managing Director K. Ravindranath and Japanese expert Koichi Tanaka in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Renowned Japanese liver expert, Koichi Tanaka, has stressed the need for promoting Live Donor Liver Transplant (LDLT) programme in the country in view of the acute shortage of cadaver donations.

Dr. Tanaka, who is on a visit to the Global Hospitals here, told The Hindu that the LDLT programme was showing good results in Japan, where 3,600 such cases had been done since 1998. Nearly 8,000 were performed world over. In Japan, the success rate was 90 per cent for first-year survival and 80 per cent for five-year survival.

Crucial period

Since most complications occur in the first three months, those who weather this period would be able to lead a normal life. Global Hospitals Managing Director, K. Ravindranath, said that about 4.5 lakh people died each year in the country due to liver ailments Several thousands were in need of transplant. like Hepatitis B, alcoholic liver disease, Hepatitis C and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. If a family member of a person afflicted with liver ailment was willing to donate the organ, the required expertise and infrastructure for the surgery were available, he added.

The cost of LDLT in the country was one-fifth of what was being charged in the US or Europe (approx. Rs 1.5 crores).

Dr. Tanaka, who is the president, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Kobe, said the institute would be collaborating with Global Hospitals in stem cell therapy.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail