FOR Pakistani toddler Nalain Aziz, who underwent a successful liver transplant at a private hospital in the Capital, the new lease of life was the best birthday gift.
He will return to Lahore to celebrate his second birthday on April 26.
Aziz, incidentally, is also the 500th Pakistani citizen to have undergone a liver transplant in Delhi’s Indraprastha Apollo hospital.
Born with a medical condition called ‘ biliary atresia’ in which there is no connection between the liver and intestine, Aziz developed jaundice seven days after birth and had spent most of his life in hospitals.
He was suffering from endstage liver failure, jaundice and had started throwing up blood, when local doctors advised his parents to get him treated in India.
“ We are very happy with the treatment. He first underwent an operation at the age of two- and- half months in Pakistan. Even after that operation we had to admit him to hospital every time his condition worsened.
But now he is perfectly fine and will turn two on April 26. We are excited to celebrate the day,” said Aziz’s father Shoaib, an engineer.
A part of the liver donated by Aziz’s mother was transplanted in a 10- hour- long surgery, doctors said. “ Aziz’s blood group matched with his mother from whom we took 25 per cent of her liver and transplanted it. Aziz is healthy now and can leave for Lahore. The success rate in such cases is 90 per cent,” said Anupam Sibal, group medical director of Apollo Hospitals.
“ Biliary atresia is seen in one in 10,000 babies worldwide,” Sibal added.
Doctors said that there were no complications in this case and Aziz’s parents will only have to send them reports of his monthly medical tests.
“ He won’t any complications and routine tests will be done for few months. However, like all liver- transplant patients, he will have to be on medication for life,” added Sibal.
Doctors said Aziz was the 500th Pakistani patient to have undergone a liver transplant at the hospital. “ We have conducted 500 liver transplants for patients from Pakistan since 2003.
Over a hundred were conducted in the last one year,” said Sibal.
Thanks mailtoday