Organ Transplantation

If your organ has failed to work properly or has been damaged by a disease or injury, it can be replaced by a healthy organ from another person. Many successful transplant surgeries have been performed in India every year. If you are planning for medical tourism, we suggest you travel to India, as India is rich in highly-skilled doctors and medically advanced infrastructure. You will get personalized care as well as cost-effective treatment in India.

See the organ transplantation cost in India and its comparison with other countries.

A huge number of patients await life-saving organ transplants daily. The donor count is insufficient to meet the needs of all patients. Patients may die waiting for an organ. Medical tourists are placed on the priority lists in India and get their surgery done in the shortest possible time.

Book an appointment for your transplantation surgery in India.

When you opt to get your surgery done in India and paired up with Meddycall, the best medical tourism company in India, we will immediately contact all transplant centers in India and search for your matching organ. If you have a living donor with a compatible organ, the center will work with you and your donor to complete your pre-surgery requirements in the shortest possible time.

What is Organ Transplantation?

Transplantation means surgically putting an organ into your body. A person may die if a healthy organ has not replaced his damaged or failed organ. The healthy organ has been surgically removed from the organ donor’s body and then transplanted into the host body.

Types of Transplantation

Some transplants are life-saving, like liver transplants, while others improve quality of life like cornea transplantation improves vision. Transplantation based on the donor type is as follows:

1. Isotransplantation or Isografting: A transplant between genetically identical people has been reported to be the most successful transplant. But only a few patients could be genetically identical; such a transplant between identical twin patients is known as an isograft. There are almost zero chances for organ rejection, and there is no need to take immunosuppressants.
2. Allotransplantation: Most patients receive an organ from a person who is not genetically identical, this type of transplantation is called allotransplant. The process of transferring organs among genetically different individuals is called allotransplantation. Patients subjected to allotransplantation are at high risk of the organ rejection process. The recipient’s body rejects the transplanted organ when the recipient’s immune system considers the donor organ a foreign invader and attacks the cells to destroy them. Patients are directed to use immunosuppressants to reduce the risk of rejection.
3. Xenotransplantation: If transplantation is carried out from another specie to a human, it is called a xenotransplant. The process is known as xenotransplantation, e.g., The heart valves from different animals like pigs or cows have been used for many years to replace the damaged heart valve of humans.

What are the organ donor options available?

You have the choice to choose whether your organ donor is deceased or living. The surgically removed organ from the dead person is stored in the organ bank and provided to the recipients on request. Your organ donor might be right next to you during your transplantation surgery, termed a living donor.

Who can be a Living Donor?

Living donors are arranged via transplant centers in a country. You can get an organ from a Living donor like your family and friends or even total strangers, but they must be in good physical and psychological health. The donor may or may not be a blood relative. The donor must be above 18 years old and should not have hypertension, cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, or another organ-specific disease. A living donor can donate a lobe of a lung, a segment of his liver, a portion of his pancreas, a whole kidney, and a portion of the intestine.

Can you buy an organ for transplantation in India?

The answer is simple: No. It is illegal to buy organs in India as per the legislation called the Transplantation of Human Organ Act. This legislation was passed in 1994 and clearly states that buying and selling an organ is a punishable offense. Only close relatives can donate an organ; otherwise, whoever violates this strictly prohibited act would be subjected to a prison sentence and fines of up to INR 25 lac.

What transplantation procedures can be carried out?

• Heart transplantation
• Liver transplantation
• Lung transplantation
• Kidney transplantation
• Pancreas transplantation
• Intestine transplantation
• Stomach transplantation
• Middle ear transplantation
• Heart Valves transplantation
• Cornea transplantation
• Skin transplantation
• Bone Marrow transplantation
• Bone transplantation
• Connective tissue transplantation
• Vascularized Composite Allografts (VCAs)

Multi-organ transplantation

• Heart and Lungs transplantation
• Pancreas and Kidney transplantation

Benefits of Organ Transplantation

Patients in dire need of replacing their organs are definitely on the verge of losing their life or living miserable life. They will get benefits from organ transplantation. Some of these benefits include:

• Gain an improved quality of life, for example, when a person’s vision is restored after cornea transplantation.
• Live a longer life, as if a person’s heart valves are replaced with healthy valves.
• Avoid regular medical procedures, such as if a person is living on renal dialysis.
• Correct congenital disabilities, e.g., if a person has bone deformity by birth.
• Spend less time in hospitals after transplantation.
• Take fewer medications as compared to the bunch of drugs before transplantation.
• Live a healthier life as if a person got rid of a failing heart and will have a new healthy heart lifetime.
• Live a pain-free life might be the best gift of transplantation.

Risks associated with Organ Transplantation

Organ Transplantation is a risky surgery, but the benefits outweigh the risks. People receiving transplants are already severely-ill patients and in dire need of healthy organs. So, such patients should show courage and go for organ transplantation. Patients may experience the following risks after transplantation:

• Organ rejection occurs if the recipient body does not accept the donor organ
• Organ failure occurs if an organ does not work properly in the recipient’s body
• Bleeding risk during the surgical procedure
• May face complications related to the anesthetic drugs
• May get an infection or another disease due to the usage of immunosuppressant drugs
• May face post-surgical complications
• May need another organ to replace it.
• May require ongoing medical care for a long.

What to do before organ transplantation?

After your evaluation, you need to prepare for your surgery. Prepare yourself medically, emotionally, financially, practically, educationally, and spiritually. ‘Connect with the specialist’ and ask them for any lifestyle changes before getting a transplant. You must maintain these lifestyle changes after your transplant to ensure good health. It will make your recovery easier and faster.

• Boost your health: Taking good care of your health before transplantation is mandatory to ensure the best outcomes. Take your medicines timely and keep in touch with your healthcare provider. Reduce the use of painkillers as well as alcohol and tobacco.
• Follow diet schedules: You must maintain a healthy weight while waiting for surgery. Follow a diet chart provided by your dietician. Eating the recommended diet will help you recover soon.
• Build strong family support: Choose someone in your family to be your caregiver. Share your personal and professional life with that person so they can provide you with mental backing and physical support. Consider writing your will and sharing access to your financial or social accounts.
• Prepare yourself emotionally: In the media, you may find some portrayals that people die even after transplantation surgery due to organ rejection. That is just 1% of the total recipients. Be strong and have strong faith in getting a complete recovery after surgery.
• Prepare yourself educationally: Many patient-focused resources are available on the web to learn about organ transplantation. The more you educate yourself, the more you gain control over your transplant experience. Knowing your surgery and what to expect gives you full confidence in your life ahead.

What to do after Transplantation?

A transplant is a life-saving gift for the recipient and a life-altering phenomenon. After transplantation, you are going to become independent in your pain-free life. Your transplant surgery can last for five to ten hours, depending on the kind of surgery you are getting. You may be struck by a sudden appetite when you start feeling better after the surgery. It will be a great feeling but, at the same time, you should consider sticking to a balanced diet to avoid becoming overweight. According to research, weight gain is quite common among patients after organ transplantation. Keeping an average healthy weight saves you from getting other diseases like high blood pressure, heart issues, or diabetes.

Transplant patients have no special diet, yet they should eat the diet their doctor recommended. For example, the diet should be low in sugar & fat content and rich in carbs such as vegetables, cereals, grains, etc. Kidney transplant patients should avoid foods with high phosphorus and magnesium, as well as they should follow strict fluid recommendations.

Common health issues after organ transplantation

You need to follow a certain medical protocol to avoid organ rejection by the body. These medicines weaken your immune system and subject the patient to new health issues.

High Blood Pressure: The medicines you must use after organ transplantation can cause high blood pressure. This issue may get better when you start tapering off your medicine dose. Eat healthy food and do regular exercise.

Diabetes: Some transplant drugs can be responsible for the exacerbation of diabetes in some patients.

High Cholesterol: It is a common side effect of some medications used. Fat plaques can clog the blood vessels and damage your transplanted organ, eventually leading to cardiac issues.

Stomach issues: Transplant medications, like steroids, leads to gastrointestinal instability. Do not take transplant medications on an empty stomach. Avoid using alcohol and caffeine.

Unwanted hair growth: Medications can pose an issue of unwanted extra growth of hair.

Anxiety and depression: Fighting a severe illness will be not only a tragic time for patients but also a nerve-racking experience. You may experience anxiety and depression, and your medications might worsen them. Don’t accept it as a normal condition; instead, talk to your doctor and get mental support.

How to deal with the side effects of organ transplantation?

The medications for organ transplantation are prescribed only for a short period. As time passes and the body shows signs of organ acceptance, your doctor will lower your doses; hence, your side effects may lighten up or disappear completely.

Right after your surgery, your doctor will prescribe you a bunch of medicines. Some people experience these side effects due to drug interactions. Make sure to tell your doctor about any other medications you use and ask about drug-drug or drug-food interactions.