Doctors at Hyd Hospital remove 12 kg liver from West Bengal woman

Hyderabad: Doctors at KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad, removed a liver weighing 12 kg from a 50-year-old woman from West Bengal. The liver was so gigantic that it occupied her entire abdomen, displacing the intestines.

Normally, a liver weighs a maximum of 1.5 kg and occupies the right upper quadrant of the abdomen.

Difficult to live with such a large liver

The woman from Siliguri was unable to walk due to her heavy liver. There was also a collection of water in her belly and a hernia due to the bloated liver. Her body started getting heavier from 2019 and she was advised to undergo transplantation. Doctors in West Bengal diagnosed her with polycystic liver and kidney disease.

What is polycystic liver and kidney disease?

Polycystic liver and kidney disease is a hereditary condition in which, due to mutations in genes, cysts (fluid-filled cavities) are formed in the kidneys and liver. Those with this condition do not develop any symptoms till they are in their 30s. As the cysts grow, they start experiencing the symptoms. They can grow enormously in size while the subsequent collection of water in the belly can lead to hernia and breathing problems. Experts state that they need to undergo dialysis as the kidney functioning is compromised.

The woman developed all these symptoms after her hernia ruptured.

Tough call for doctors

Three liver transplant surgeons and a kidney transplant surgeon along with a large surgical team performed the operation at KIMS Hospital in the first week of November.

According to Dr. Ravichand Siddachari, consultant and chief of liver transplant and HPB surgery, "Understandably, it was one of the most difficult operations for one to undertake as the liver had occupied the entire abdomen. It was a herculean task to detach the liver from its attachments and also to preserve the important structures required for transplantation. But we succeeded in transplanting a new liver."

Dr. Uma Maheshwara Rao, consultant urologist and renal transplant surgeon, explained, "The new kidney was transplanted through the same cut after creating a pouch in the abdomen (normally additional cut needs to be made for transplanting a kidney)."

The surgeons who performed two rare transplantations on one individual are happy that the patient recovered well and has been discharged from the hospital.

"It was one of the most satisfying operations which not only saved the life of a patient but also helped her get rid of all physical and mental anxieties and miseries, once and for all. She can start performing routine activities now," opined the team of doctors.

The marathon operation that lasted 14 hours was successfully done by liver transplant surgeons Dr. Ravichand Siddachari; Dr. Sachin Daga, senior consultant hepatobiliary pancreas and liver transplant surgeon; Dr. K.N. Paramesha, consultant HPB and liver transplant surgeon; and Dr. Uma Maheshwara Rao.

After the operation, the patient was tended by chief hepatologist Dr. Sharat Putta and senior consultant nephrologist Dr. V.S. Reddy at KIMS Hospital.