KATHMANDU, JULY 24
Shahid Dharmabhakta National Transplant Center, under the Ministry of Health and Population, has successfully conducted 15 liver transplant surgeries in the fiscal year 2080/81, achieving a 100% success rate.
All liver recipients and donors have been discharged in good health, according to statement issued by the center.
"Under the leadership of liver transplant surgeon Dr. Pukar Chandra Shrestha, the liver transplant surgeries have been executed with notable proficiency. Recently, the center's liver transplant team has been performing these intricate procedures with the presence of only one foreign surgeon."
Considering the risk of liver failure patients' and liver donors' lives in such complicated surgeries, Dr. Shrestha highlighted the importance of having supervision from foreign expert until such surgeries are performed regularly by local team in reasonably good number, the release stated.
Dr. Shrestha explained that the center performs liver transplants by removing the patient's entire damaged liver and replacing it with either half of a liver from a living donor or a full liver from a brain-dead donor. The center has successfully transplanted livers in patients ranging from 3 to 68 years old.
The center began liver transplants in 2016 with technical support from Samsung Medical Center, South Korea. Dr. Shrestha led the Nepali team to perform the first liver transplant in the country in 2019.
"To date, the center has performed 26 liver transplants, with 24 recipients being male and 2 female. Among the liver donors, 18 were female and 8 were male."
Shahid Dharmabhakta National Transplant Center offers liver transplants at a minimal cost in the country, ranging from Rs 15 to 20 lakhs, it added.
