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19 Years Later: Man Undergoes Second Liver Transplant
29 Oct
Summary
- A 30-year-old man received his second liver transplant after 19 years.
- His mother donated part of her liver for the unique second transplant.
- His school helped raise ₹6 lakh for his first transplant 19 years ago.
A 30-year-old man, Jitin Shirke, recently underwent a second liver transplant at Jaslok Hospital, a procedure rarely performed for the same patient. The transplant was necessary as his body began rejecting the liver he received 19 years ago, a transplant performed when he was just 11 years old.
This remarkable surgery saw his mother step in as the donor, donating part of her liver. This mirrors the first transplant, where his father had donated the left lobe. Dr. Aabha Nagral noted that chronic rejection after nearly 18 years is unusual, especially for autoimmune liver cirrhosis patients.
Repeat transplantation presents significant technical and clinical challenges, particularly when the patient is critically ill, according to Dr. Amit Rastogi. Shirke's initial transplant, costing ₹25 lakh, was supported by his alma mater, Holy Family High School, which pooled ₹6 lakh. The second transplant also incurred a ₹25 lakh cost, with Shirke now utilizing crowd-funding.
Shirke emphasizes that the primary challenge in transplantation is donor scarcity, not funds. He anticipates a full recovery and plans to resume his routine, including playing football, with his wedding rescheduled for the next year.
