Combined liver, kidney transplant successfully done on 54-year-old man in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: In a groundbreaking achievement, Star Hospitals has successfully performed a simultaneous liver and kidney transplant on a 54-year-old critically ill patient, Rama Rao, a businessman from Ongole, Andhra Pradesh.
The patient was suffering from liver and kidney failure, along with multiple comorbidities, including hypertension, diabetes, and hepatitis B infection. Diagnosed with liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis B, his condition deteriorated over time, leading to water accumulation in the body (ascites) and kidney failure, further complicating his health.
He was admitted to Star Hospitals' Hepatology and Liver Transplant department with severe infection, low blood pressure, hepatic coma, and toxin accumulation in the blood caused by combined liver and kidney failure.
Such a condition carries less than a 10 per cent chance of survival unless the patient is stabilised in the ICU and an urgent simultaneous liver and kidney transplant is performed. Finding suitable donor organs in such urgent circumstances is particularly challenging in India, where cadaveric organ donation remains relatively uncommon.
This extraordinary procedure was made possible by the selflessness of the patient's family. In this case, the patient's spouse donated a kidney, while his son donated a portion of his liver, showcasing remarkable familial support during a critical time.
The complex surgery, which lasted 12 hours, involved simultaneous operations on the liver and kidney donors and the patient in adjacent operation theatres. Both donors were discharged within a week in excellent condition. The patient experienced a smooth, uneventful recovery and has now been given a new lease of life.
Dr Mettu Srinivas Reddy, Director and Lead Surgeon at Star Liver Institute, emphasised the critical nature of the case: "Multi-organ transplantation is a complex surgical undertaking in itself. Successfully performing it on a critically ill patient using two family donors requires a level of technical expertise and logistical coordination that very few centres across the world possess. This surgery involved an interdisciplinary team of over 50 members, including specialists from hepatology, liver transplant, nephrology, kidney transplantation, anaesthesia, critical care, pulmonology, and nursing. The team worked seamlessly to ensure success. Such cases underscore the critical importance of a skilled team and advanced facilities."
Dr Golamari Srinivasa Reddy, Clinical Lead Consultant for Hepatology and Transplant Hepatology, explained the challenges in managing the patient: "Severe liver cirrhosis and kidney failure, when complicated by infection, can be lethal if not treated immediately. Patients like this require careful management in a specialised liver intensive care unit to support organ function, treat infection, and stabilise their condition. This case also highlights the importance of screening and vaccination for hepatitis B infection, which triggered the disease in this patient."
Dr Sridhar, Director of Nephrology and Renal Transplant at Star Hospitals, highlighted the necessity of the kidney transplant: "Given the patient's existing comorbidities, the functionality of the remaining kidney had significantly declined. Without a kidney transplant, the patient would have required dialysis every alternate day, even after the liver transplant. A simultaneous transplant was crucial to ensure sustainable recovery and a better quality of life."
Dr Ravindranath, Chief Mentor at Star Liver Institute, spoke about the facility's capabilities and expertise: "At Star Hospitals, we pride ourselves on offering a comprehensive healthcare ecosystem. The success of this highly critical multi-organ transplant underscores the unmatched expertise of our medical team and the cutting-edge technology we deploy. This makes Star Hospitals a preferred destination for complex and critical healthcare needs."