Tips To Follow After Liver Transplant

A liver transplant is a risky procedure. Hence doctors suggest it only to patients with a life expectancy of at least one year without the transplant.

Statistics reveal that around 2 lakh people die of liver disease every year in India. Out of those, 50,000–60,000 need a liver transplant. However, people looking for a donor exceed their availability.

Without a transplant, patients with decompensated chronic liver disease have a 1, 3, and 5 years survival rate of 45–70%, 25–45%, and <10%, respectively.

India has excelled in providing the best liver transplant centers in the world. Liver transplant in Delhi alone includes around 15 best-approved hospitals for the procedure. You can get their list here.

But what worries the patients undergoing or have to undergo a liver transplant is post-liver transplant care.

After the Liver Transplant, there can be certain complications like:

● Problems related to the stitching of arteries.

● The bile duct may get blocked or leaked.

● Infections that occur can be life-threatening.

● Rejection by the body is the biggest fear in Liver Transplant.

The majority of successful liver transplantations performed in India are confirmation of the best post-transplant care.

With the advancement in technology, liver transplant in Delhi is leading all over India.

To avoid further complications after the transplant, you can certainly follow some tips on your part.

1. Follow-Up

It is crucial to stay in touch with your care-providing team from the hospital after the liver transplant. Doctors say a follow-up twice every week for 3 to 4 weeks after the transplant.

Afterward, it can become a weekly visit for two months. Monthly visit once and two months a year after that is preferable.

It is suggested to have a general follow-up plan. But, depending on the graph of your recovery, your doctor will suggest a better follow-up schedule.

2. Medicines

After a liver transplant, you must stick to your medicines. It includes Immunosuppressants so that the liver can function well.

Your immunity can damage your new organ. For an adult, the intake will rarely reduce. You may have to take these medicines lifelong. But over some time, you can reduce your dosage.

Do not stop any medicine without consulting your doctor.

3. Diet

What you eat plays a vital role in your recovery process.

Generally, hospitals provide you with a diet chart during discharge, prepared under the supervision of a dietician authorized by the hospital.

Avoid eating unhealthy food. Do not eat raw or long-kept food from the refrigerator.

Fruits like grapes or overripe fruits can affect the medicine’s role.

Moreover, gastrointestinal infections can also take place after the transplant. Thus, avoid eating food from outside.

After your liver transplant, gaining weight can be problematic. Hence, intake of sugars, fatty meals, and salts should be the least. Take more antioxidant-rich food.

4. Exercise

It is common for a patient to gain weight. It can further lead to issues like diabetes, hypertension, or obesity.

Doctors suggest that you at least take 30 to 45 minutes of walks or aerobic exercise daily. It will reduce fat in your liver and maintain body weight.

You can take up low impact exercises like cycling and swimming. But it is always best to check up with your doctor before changing your exercise routine.

It will increase your physiological capacity and boost your mental health.

5. Hygiene

After the liver transplant, the patient can catch infections. That is because the body is vulnerable during post-transplant. Even the bacterias in your body can infect you.

Maintain a hygienic lifestyle after the transplant. Personal hygiene and community hygiene both are significant.

Prevent situations where you can get infections from your surroundings. Also, avoid going to crowded places. Always wear a mask when outside in the initial period of your transplant.

Following the above tips can prevent complexities post-liver transplant.

Hospitals performing liver transplant in Delhi are also providing teleconsultation during the Corona Pandemic. So, in case you need help online, visit the website of an authorized hospital.