A two-year-old boy suffering from a rare genetic disease has successfully undergone a life-saving liver transplant at MGM Healthcare Malar Hospital in Chennai.
The child was diagnosed with primary hyperoxaluria, a rare disorder in which the liver does not produce a proper enzyme. Because of this problem, the body produces too much oxalate. The extra oxalate builds up in the kidneys and other organs, causing serious damage.
The boy weighed only nine kilograms and was very weak when he was admitted to the hospital. He had severe vomiting, poor growth and low energy. After several tests, doctors found that his kidneys had already been badly affected due to the buildup of oxalate, leading to advanced kidney failure.
Doctors explained that the child would eventually need a kidney transplant. However, they said the liver problem had to be treated first. If the faulty liver was not corrected, the new kidney would also get damaged by oxalate.
To solve this, the medical team decided to perform a live donor mono-segment liver transplant, a complex surgery in which only a small portion of a healthy person’s liver is transplanted into the child. This procedure is especially challenging because the patient is very young and underweight.
A family member donated part of their liver, and the surgery was carried out successfully by a team of specialists. After the transplant, the child’s body began producing the correct enzyme, which will help reduce oxalate levels and protect the kidneys.
Doctors said the child is now recovering well and being closely monitored. They added that this transplant gives him a better chance of survival and will prepare him for a future kidney transplant if needed.
Hospital officials called the surgery a major medical achievement and said early diagnosis and timely treatment are very important in rare diseases like primary hyperoxaluria.