Kottayam: The Kottayam Medical College Hospital (MCH) witnessed a heart-rending episode on Valentine's Day when a husband was given a new lease of life by transplanting a part of his wife's liver through a surgery that lasted for 17 hours.
The liver transplantation of Subeesh, 42, of Vattekattil house at Velur Kottapady in Kunnamkulam, was successfully done at the Kottayam MCH. The liver was donated by his wife Pravija, 39.
This is the second liver transplant in the history of government hospitals in the State and the first such surgery in the Kottayam MCH.
A liver transplantation surgery was earlier done at the government-level at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital.
The surgery, which began at 6 am on Monday, lasted for almost 17 hours. The first stage was completed by 5 pm. About 40 percent of the left side of Pravija's liver was first removed. Subeesh's liver was also removed during this time.
The process of stitching liver part of Pravija on Subeesh's body began by 5.30 pm. The liver transplantation was completed in another five hours. Subeesh was then shifted to the ICU.
MCH Superintendent Dr. TK Jayakumar said that the surgery was completed by 10.30 pm and he was shifted to the ventilator after one hour of observation.
The next 48 hours will be crucial for Subeesh. The next important stage of the treatment is to make other parts of his body sync with the newly-transplanted liver.
Subeesh, who is running à fruit stall, has been under treatment for liver ailment for the last six years.
The surgery was done by a team of 29 doctors and nine technicians led by the Head of the Department of Gastro Surgery at the MCH, RS Sindhu.
"This is a major milestone for Kerala in the field of organ transplantation," Health Minister Veena George told the media after visiting the hospital.
Several meetings were summoned under the leadership of the minister to discuss the possibilities of the transplantation ahead of the surgery.
