Paras Health Panchkula Successfully Performs City’s First Liver Transplant

Paras Health Panchkula Successfully Performs City’s First Liver Transplant

42-year-old wife donates part of her liver to save her husband; both recover well

Panchkula 21 October ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Paras Health, Panchkula, has successfully performed the city’s first liver transplant on a 44-year-old man suffering from end-stage liver disease and kidney complications. The eight-hour living-donor transplant was made possible by his 42-year-old wife, who donated the right lobe of her liver. Both the patient and the donor have recovered well. The case highlights the growing importance of living-donor liver transplantation in India, where the demand for liver transplants continues to exceed the availability of donor organs. According to a 2025 analysis published in The National Medical Journal of India, India recorded 3,920 liver transplants in 2022, including 3,183 living-donor procedures. In this case, transplantation became necessary as the patient’s condition continued to deteriorate despite medical treatment.

The patient had decompensated cirrhosis complicated by persistent fluid accumulation in the abdomen, hepatic encephalopathy and acute kidney injury. A high Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, impaired blood clotting, portal hypertension, low platelet count, malnutrition and muscle loss made the procedure particularly challenging. Following comprehensive evaluation and multidisciplinary planning, his wife was found suitable to donate the right lobe of her liver. The surgery was successfully performed under the leadership of Dr. Ankur Garg, Group Director and HOD, Liver Transplant and GI Surgery; Dr. Vaibhaw Kumar, Director, Liver Transplant and GI Surgery; Prof. Gp Capt Dr. Sumesh Kaistha, Director, Liver Transplant and GI Surgery; Dr. Karan Midha, Associate Director, Laparoscopic and Robotic GI Surgery and Liver Transplant; and Dr. Raghav Bansal, Consultant, Liver Transplant and GI Surgery. Teams from transplant surgery, anaesthesia, critical care, hepatology and nephrology worked together to manage the complex case.

Dr. Pankaj Mittal, Facility Director, Paras Health, Panchkula, said, “This successful transplant marks an important milestone in expanding access to advanced medical care in the region. It demonstrates how multidisciplinary expertise can help manage complex cases and reduce the need for patients to travel to other cities for specialised treatment. The recovery of both the patient and donor highlights the importance of timely intervention, comprehensive care and living organ donation.”

The donor was discharged within a week, with normal liver function, and has resumed her routine activities. The recipient’s liver and kidney functions improved following the transplant, and he was discharged after approximately two weeks with normal test results. He is gradually returning to his daily routine and continues regular follow-ups at the hospital. Living-donor liver transplantation offers an important option for eligible patients when a suitable deceased-donor organ is unavailable. However, detailed medical and surgical evaluation is essential to protect donor safety and ensure informed, voluntary consent. Access to specialised transplant services closer to home can also reduce travel-related expenses and support continuity of care.