HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd (HCG), the specialist in cancer care has  performed a auto liver transplantation which is medically referred to as ex-vivo liver resection. The hospital has stated that the effort is a first time in Karnataka.

The 64-year-old Thimme Gowda, was diagnosed 3 weeks ago with hepatocellular carcinoma, at a private hospital in the city. His condition was critical and was referred to HCG for a second opinion.

Initially the patient had begun to notice a feeling of abdominal fullness and loss of appetite since a month. He first approached a private hospital in the city and an ultra sound scan detected large tumour in the liver, in the size of a large melon that was in the centre of his liver.

The tumour was awkwardly situated at a site where it partially obstructed all three Hepatic veins that carried blood out of the liver towards the heart. Any attempt at trying to remove the tumour by standard surgery would result in profuse bleeding from these veins that were likely to be injured while removing the tumour. The other oncologist was kind enough to seek a second opinion from the specialist and refer the patient, said Dr. Sanjay Govil, Liver Transplant Surgeon, HCG.

After the patient was analysed in detail, HCG adopted a procedure to remove the liver from the patient’s body.

The procedure helped us to wash the liver  in a preservative solution (HTK solution) and kept it in ice so that the liver could survive a number of hours without blood flow. We therefore chose this approach called 'Ex-vivo' resection literally meaning 'out of body' and the procedure is also called 'Bench Surgery’ because it is done on the bench next to the patient. The process is an 'Auto-transplantation' which means that the patient’s own healthy liver is transplanted back into his body. We were able to perform the operation safely with very little blood transfusion. The patients liver function is very good postoperatively and he is recovering slowly, added Dr Govil.

The Ex –Vivo resection is performed in the specific instance where the tumour involves either the veins draining the liver or the main vein draining blood back to the heart - where considerable blood loss is anticipated. This case highlights not only a rare and unusual operation, but also the importance of referral to specialists before denying treatment to someone and the importance of patients getting a second opinion for major illnesses, he said.

HCG has over 25 cancer centres in the country and is South Asia’s largest cancer care network. The cancer major has defined the future of cancer care in India by designing, building and managing cancer care centres. It focuses on cancer care treatment, imaging and laboratory services, clinical trials and research services. Its effort is to make high quality cancer care accessible by adopting global innovations.