Pune: A rare and successful paediatric liver transplant surgery gave a new lease on life to a one-and-a-half-year-old boy at a city-based private hospital earlier this year. Doctors said the procedure helped save the life of the child, who is now stable and growing well. The baby, who was unwell since birth, struggled with persistent jaundice by the time he was a few months old, experienced constant itching, and undergone severe weight loss. Dr Snehavardhan Pandey, paediatric hepatologist at Jupiter Hospital, who was following the baby’s case since he was just a few weeks old, told TOI, “The child’s condition was so difficult that his parents often covered his hands with socks to stop him from scratching himself. He was unable to sleep peacefully, and his growth was badly affected.” While the ideal weight of an 18-month-old boy ranges from 9.8kg to 12.2kg, the child weighed under 8.5kg due to his condition. Pandey explained that the initial liver biopsy revealed significant damage, raising the possibility of a genetic disorder. However, when the genetic tests came back negative, the team tried medical management for some months. Despite this, the child’s condition kept worsening and transplant became the only remaining option. According to treating doctors, the boy suffered from Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis (PFIC), which caused the liver cirrhosis. This rare liver disorder affects roughly one in 50,000-100,000 live births annually. This was a cryptogenic case (of obscure origin) as the exact cause could not be conclusively proven. Doctors also said this was a very rare case since the boy had severe liver damage at such a young age and medicines alone could not control his symptoms. The boy had also developed portal hypertension, and even experienced bleeding. The family of the child hails from Karad, Satara, and came to Pune for his treatment. His father works in a private company and was found to be a matching donor for the liver transplant, for which he immediately volunteered. The baby was admitted on July 29 this year and underwent the transplant surgery on July 30. After complete recovery, he was discharged on Aug 18. Pandey explained, “Transplant was the only option and performing it in such a small baby required very careful planning and teamwork. Liver transplant is never the effort of one doctor. It takes an entire team — surgeons, hepatologists, anaesthetists, intensive care experts, nutritionists, physiotherapists, and specially trained nurses.” He added, “The boy’s itching has completely stopped, he is able to sleep peacefully, and his liver tests are normal now.” The child’s father told TOI, “I am happy that I was able to donate part of my liver to my child. The surgery was a success. Now I see him smiling and sleeping in peace, which makes it all worth it. We are extremely thankful to the doctors.”
