Gleneagles Global Health City performs 125 Liver Transplants under CM Comprehensive Health Insurance during Pandemic

• 6 months old baby and a 66-year-old patient have been identified as the youngest and oldest recipients of liver transplantation

10th May 2022, Chennai: Gleneagles Global Health City (GGHC), a leading multi-specialty center in Chennai, successfully performed 125 liver transplants under the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (TNCMCHIS) during the last 2 years of the pandemic. The doctors were felicitated by Thiru. Ma Subramanian, Honorable Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu along with Dr. J. Radhakrishnan IAS, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu & Thiru. S. Aravindramesh, MLA – Sholinganallur.

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As per the data, of the total number of transplants performed – 70% of the patients were male and the remaining were female. Some of the milestones achieved by the doctors at GGHC in the last 2 years of the pandemic include -

• First in India to successfully transplant baby of 9 months with Bile Acids Synthesis Defect
• First in India to successfully transplant a baby of 2.5 years with Crigler Najjar Syndrome Type 1
• First in India to successfully transplant a child with Cholesterol Ester Storage Disease
• ABO Incompatible transplants were performed on 4 paediatric patients and 2 adult patients
• Transplant performed on a 4.2 kg baby, making it one of the lowest weighing patient
• 61 paediatric liver transplants and 64 adult liver transplants were performed during this period

Congratulating the team of doctors, Thiru. Ma Subramanian, Honorable Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu said, “It is very gratifying to watch so many patients, especially children, benefit from the TNCMCHIS. Seeking timely medical intervention can truly change one’s life drastically. Would like to congratulate the team of doctors here at Gleneagles Global Health City for performing 125 liver transplants on patients from across Tamil Nadu even during the pandemic.”

(L to R) Dr.Ananth N Rao, COO, IHH Healthcare; Dr. J. Radhakrishnan IAS, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu; Ma Subramanian, Honorable Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu; S. Aravindramesh, MLA – Sholinganallur; Dr Mettu Srinivas Reddy, Director- Liver Transplant & HPB Surgery, Gleneagles Global Health City

Dr Joy Varghese, Director of Hepatology & Transplant Hepatology, Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai commented, "Patients, both adult & paediatric, from almost all the districts of Tamil Nadu have availed benefit from the TNCMCHIS. Out of the 125 total cases performed under the TNCMCHIS, 21 cases were acute liver failure and acute-on-chronic liver failure cases, where the TNCMCHIS team worked relentlessly to give Emergency Approvals for the Liver Transplantations. Under the TNCMCHIS, we have also successfully performed six blood group mismatch Liver Transplantations (ABOi), which have been the highlight of our centre”.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mettu Srinivas Reddy, Director- Liver Transplant & HPB Surgery, Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai, said, “These patients are extremely sick as many are referred for liver transplantation as a last resort. It is especially true for small babies who develop severe malnutrition and growth retardation. They have very low physiological reserve and cannot tolerate any infections or complications after transplantation. Despite these problems, outcomes of liver transplantation in our patients are much better than International standards. To achieve 100% perioperative survival in paediatric liver transplantation is an exceptional achievement and is a testament to the skill-set and commitment of the team and the hospital.”

Speaking about managing liver transplant patients during the COVID 19 pandemic, Dr Selvakumar Malleeswaran, HOD - Liver Anaesthesia & Critical Care, Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai said “A dedicated team of critical care doctors and nurses exclusively conducted urgent and life-saving liver transplants even during the various waves of the COVID pandemic. The specialised team successfully managed emergency liver transplants for sick children who suffered acute liver failure. Our safety protocol ensured zero incidences of COVID in transplant patients and was published on the front cover page of the International Journal of Liver Transplantation”.

Speaking on achievement of this milestone, Dr Alok Khullar, CEO – Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai, said “We are extremely grateful to the Government of Tamil Nadu for the TNCMCHIS that has given hope to many patients across the state. Performing highly challenging liver transplantations during the pandemic COVID-19 under the TNCMCHIS adds another feather to our cap.

Being one of the leading liver transplant centres in India, our team took it as a challenge to implement the highest standards of infection control to enable transplantation without any risk of COVID-19 transmission. The multi-disciplinary approach of the Hepatology and liver transplant team in collaboration with the Infectious Diseases team enabled us to provide excellent clinical outcomes to patients suffering from end stage liver disease.”

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