Healthy liver needs balanced diet, regular exercise

In an interview with Manav Mander, Dr Gursagar Singh Sahota, chief liver transplant surgeon at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, shares how organ transplantation is a life-saving procedure and gives people with organ failure a chance to live. It's also a way to improve the quality of life of people with chronic illnesses.

Punjab and its adjoining states are having a high liver-related disease burden. Patients are getting liver problems due to alcohol abuse, hepatitis B & C viruses, obesity-related (fatty liver) causes. The problem is on the rise due to changes in lifestyle (decreasing activity levels and eating junk/processed foods).

When considering a liver transplant, it’s important to remember to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, avoiding alcohol and smoking, taking all prescribed medications, staying positive and being prepared for a significant commitment to post-transplant care with frequent monitoring and strict adherence to medical guidelines to optimise your chances of a successful recovery.

There are two types of liver transplant operations depending on the type of liver donor. Patients who donate the organ after their brain death are called cadaveric or brain-dead donors. Whereas if living persons donate a part of their liver while themselves enjoying a healthy life are called living liver donors. Liver transplant is a complex operation and needs a highly experienced multi-disciplinary team to ensure its successful outcome.

Any person can be an organ donor after death. Living people can pledge their organs to be donated to operate on patients of organ failure. Living liver donors should be aged between 18 and 55, generally should be relatives or family members of the patients, should not have history of diabetes or hypertension and have a healthy liver life of living liver donors after donation.

Liver donors recover fully after its donation and can donate up to 70% of the liver to save the life of their loved ones. The liver regenerates fully within a three-month period. Liver donors can do normal physical activity after recovery. They don’t need any long-term medications and can lead a normal life.

Patients who undergo liver transplant operation (recipients) stay in the hospital for around 18 days. They have a recovery period of almost three months. Recipients need long-term medicines to protect the new liver from rejection.

Living liver donors are kept under observation in the hospital for seven days. The donors recover very fast and don’t need any long-term medications.

Liver transplant surgery carries a good outcome with more than 90% survival after a successful liver transplant operation. Patients need to be on regular follow-up and health checkups to ensure good long-term outcome. Patients need to improve habits or treat the causes which initially led to liver disease to prevent damage to the new liver.

Liver transplant is the last option available, but every person should focus and work towards keeping their liver healthy. To keep your liver healthy, prioritise a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, limit alcohol consumption, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, practise safe sex to prevent hepatitis, stay hydrated and be cautious with medications by consulting your doctor before taking any new supplements or drugs that could impact your liver functioning.