Chitwan, July 15 – A 47-year-old man successfully underwent a liver transplant at Chitwan Medical College. It took eight hours to conduct the transplant on Bharat Bikram Shahi of Kushe Rural Municipality-9 in Jajarkot district, said executive director of the CMC hospital Pratap Devkota at a press conference here today.

The transplant was done by a team of doctors including specialist surgeon Dr Sanjaya Kumar Yadav, Dr Ekananda Singh, Dr Jayanta Kumar Shah, Dr Sagar Poudel, Dr Barun Shrestha, Dr Kiran Adhikari, Dr Nabin Yadav, Dr Suresh Gautam, Dr Birendra Raut, Dr Dipak Adhikari and Dr Subas Ojha. A team of specialist surgeons from Apollo Hospital in India also involved in the transplant. The patient was suffering from cirrhosis, a late-stage liver disease, said director Devkota. Kamala Devi, spouse of Shahi, donated 60 percent of her liver to her husband. “It was difficult fr Shahi to survive if the transplant was not done as he reached late-stage of liver disease,” said Dr Yadav.

Before Shahi was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago, he received treatment at various hospitals in Kathmandu, but to no avail. “His liver was damaged due to excessive alcohol consumption. He had also suffered from hepatitis B. And his stomach was filled with excessive fluids,” he said.Donor Kamala Devi was discharged from the hospital on July 11 after improvement in her health, he said, adding that both of them are recovering.

“Shahi will be discharged in next week if his recovery continues at this rate. Both of them will get their liver grown by 90 to 95 percent in two months or three. And thereafter, both of them can lead a normal life,” he said.Earlier, a liver patient from Kathmandu successfully underwent a liver transplant at the hospital. The hospital has received at least 15 liver patients on a daily basis and out of which 10 to 20 percent patients need to undergo liver transplant, it has been said.