Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) successfully performed Pakistan’s first ever ‘liver autotransplantation’ in Karachi on Saturday (today).
As per details, DUHS team operated on a liver of a 28-year-old patient who was suffering from cancer. During the surgery, the liver was taken out of the body for the surgical removal of tumor followed by reconstruction of damaged veins.
The liver was then re-implanted into the patient’s body. The patient has showed signs of recovery, said DUHS officials.
According to DUHS Chancellor – Professor Saeed Quraishy of DUHS, the team comprising of liver transplant surgeons successfully performed one of the most complex and sophisticated procedures, known as liver autotransplantation.
The surgery was carried out under the supervision of surgeon Prof Dr Faisal Dar, whereas the team included Dr Jahanzeb Hyder, Dr Muhammad Iqbal, and others.
Addressing a seminar on “Liver, Kidney and Bone Marrow Transplants at DUHS Hospital — Meet the Experts” at Ojha campus, Prof Saeed Quraishy apprised that the 28-year-old patient hailing from Zhob Balochistan was suffering from cancer which had also damaged parts of his liver along with important veins.
The development holds key significance as around 20 such procedures have been performed in the entire world, added DUHC Chancellor.
Dr Jahanzeb Hyder – Liver Transplant Surgeon at DUHS, has apprised that annually, Pakistan needs hundreds of liver transplants because of liver cancers, and damage due to hepatitis B and C.
Liver is the only organ in the human body which can regenerate itself so people can donate parts of their livers to others for saving their lives, he added.
Expressing his views, Professor Rashid Bin Hamid – Kidney Transplant Surgeon at the DUHS, revealed that around 20,000 to 25,000 patients require kidney transplants in Pakistan of which only 1,000 to 1,200 people are able to get renal transplants, whereas the rest rely on dialysis for their entire life.