Mother s liver saves her infant

Noida March 6 (IANS) A one-and-half-year-old girl from Iraq suffering from a rare inherited liver disorder was given a new lease of life after her mother donated a part of her liver.

Fatima was suffering from congenital hepatic fibrosis -- a rare disease that is present at birth and affects the liver.

This liver disorder affected the formation of her liver and bile ducts. As a result Fatima had a stagnant weight of 6 kg from six weeks of birth up till 1 year.

"Fatima had jaundice soon after her birth which eventually worsened with time. After 6 weeks of her birth she was diagnosed with Alagille Syndrome a genetic disorder that affects the liver heart and other parts of the body " Abhideep Chaudhary Senior Consultant Liver Transplant Department at Jaypee Hospital in Noida said in a statement on Tuesday.

Later a series of tests diagnosed her with congenital hepatic fibrosis and one of the blood supplying arteries were found to be partially developed. She was kept on ventilation.

"We performed Hyper-reduced left lateral liver graft surgery on Fatima using a part of liver donated by her mother Hannah" Chaudhary said.

But due to Fatima s age and weight she did not support the left lobe of her mother s liver the doctors had to reduce the size of liver of Hannah as per Fatima s body requirement.

"Not only we dissected the liver but we also had to reduce the thickness of it during donor s surgery and then transplant it " Chaudhary noted.

"The patient is currently on immunosuppresants and other supportive medications. Both the patient and donor are recovering fast and are now fit to go back to their country " Chaudhary said.

Jaypee Hospital has successfully completed 400 kidney and liver transplants in the last three years the statement said.

--IANS
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