Is Liver Transplant an Effective Procedure for the Elderly?

Liver transplantation, also known as a hepatic transplant, is a life-saving procedure done on an enormous scale worldwide. Being the second-largest organ of the body, it is responsible for several essential functions necessary for survival. If the liver is damaged for any reason, we won’t survive even for a week. It is all seen in liver diseases. Chronic liver ailments due to alcohol over abuse, infection, or acute liver failure due to the intoxication of any drug can lead to many severe life-threatening conditions. This all leaves the patients with only one treatment option: liver transplantation. Liver transplant cost in India is determined by different factors as it requires highly trained professionals, high-end instruments, medicines, and other medical products. After the kidney transplant, liver transplantation is the second most commonly transplanted organ. In India, among 2 lakhs of liver ailments patients, 50.000 to 60,000 require liver transplantation, and most of the percentage of the population suffering from liver ailments is of the elderly age group. Liver transplantation has increased life expectancy and has decreased mortality and morbidity rates in elderly liver ailments patients. Let us know in detail about the effectiveness of a liver transplantation procedure in elderly patients. 

Screening for elderly patients

Liver transplantation is an invasive procedure that comes with many post-operative complications and care. Along with all the post-operative measures, a patient has to undergo many preoperative screenings so that surgeons can plan their treatment accordingly. This factor plays a preeminent role in elderly patients. Many elderly patients have too many underlying health conditions which can affect the liver transplantation procedure. 

• Cardiac diseases: Any underlying disease can affect the Liver Transplant Success Rate in India. Cardiac disease is one of them. Determining any cardiac diseases is essential for liver ailments patients and the reason that they can lead to life-threatening situations if left untreated. Almost 5% to 27% of the population that is a candidate for liver transplantation suffers from a cardiac condition. Although the risk factor for liver transplantation surgery is increased significantly at the same time, liver transplantation can improve and save the lives of many chronic liver ailments patients. 
• Malignancy: One of the leading causes of liver transplantation surgery failure is cancer. It is an uncontrolled growth of cells that can be due to any reason. Therefore screening for cancer before the liver transplantation procedure is essential. 
• Bone diseases: One of the significant complications of liver transplantation is bone disease. Patients suffering from cholestatic liver disease have a high prevalence of almost 10-60% for having an underlying bone disease such as osteopenia or osteoporosis. These bone defects can be due to any reason but pose a significant threat to liver ailments patients. Before any liver transplantation surgery, screening and diagnosis of an underlying bony pathology are a must. 

Outcomes and survival rate of elderly patients undergoing liver transplantation 

Liver Transplant in India is a risky yet life-saving procedure. It is carried out in three forms based on the donor type. Deceased donor liver transplantation where a donor is a dead person. Another is a living donor liver transplant where the patients receive a healthy liver from a living person. A donor can be anyone, a willing donor, a family member, a close friend, or a relative who is suitable for the patient. According to a survey done by UNOS in 1998, an elderly patient receiving liver transplantation with a 10-year survival rate is almost 46%. With the advancement in technology and expertise, this percentage has been increased to several folds over the past 2 decades. A team of experienced surgeons and advanced facilities have saved millions of lives and have enhanced the life expectancy of elderly patients to a great extent. 

Liver transplantation is one of the most preferred cures for end-stage liver ailments diseases. So preoperative screening is essential to exclude and reduce any post-operative complications. The Cost of Liver Transplant in india may go in lakhs, but it has been known to increase the quality of life of end-stage liver ailments patients. The frequency of patients aged 60 and above undergoing liver transplantation has increased over these years. They significantly increase the life expectancy of an elderly patient up to 5 years on average. Take proper precaution and care for increasing having a healthy liver for a long duration.

Conclusion:

Hundreds of functions, including digestion of fats, transport of minerals and vitamins all over the body, detoxifying chemicals, etc., are performed by the liver every day. But what if the liver stops performing. This mainly happens due to chronic liver ailments or acute liver failure. This can affect any age group, an infant or an elderly. The end-stage treatment for an end-stage liver ailment is liver transplantation. Liver transplantation enhances patients’ survival rate and quality of life to several folds. This article will detail how effective liver transplantation is in the elderly.