Wife saves husband on Valentine’s Day by donating liver

The opportunity to give your loved one an unusual gift of life rarely presents itself and when it does, family members are often the first ones to step up to save their loved ones’ lives. In one such case, 47-year-old Sakshi (name changed) donated a part of her liver to her 49-year-old husband, Rakesh (name changed), thus saving his life. The couple from Gwalior underwent a living donor liver transplant at Aster RV Hospital. The husband was suffering from cirrhosis for the past four years and experienced a new lease of life due to the transplant. On this Valentine’s Day, the couple is strengthening and celebrating their bond of love and are on their path to recovery.

Commenting on the transplant, Dr Sonal Asthana, Lead Consultant – HPB & Liver Transplant Surgery, Aster RV Hospital, said: “Thousands of patients across India suffer from liver diseases – be it liver cirrhosis or liver failure. Very often, they reach a stage where the only form of cure and the only hope is liver transplantation. When a part of the liver is donated, the remaining part grows back to almost the normal size within a few weeks, making liver transplantation from living donors a very safe form of treatment. Liver problems can occur because of fatty liverinduced damage (NASH), alcohol, drugs and certain metabolic disorders.”

Speaking on the challenges of the liver transplant, Dr Apurva Pande, Consultant – Herpetologist, Aster RV Hospital, said: “The patient’s condition was critical and delaying the transplant could have turned fatal. The couple approached us a few days back and we undertook the transplant soon after that. It went successfully with the expertise of skilled doctors and surgeons backed by high-end medical equipment at Aster RV Hospital. Usually, post-transplant infections and rejections are the major roadblocks for successful outcomes.”

Dr Naphene, Consultant Transplant Surgeon, Aster RV Hospital, said: “Transplantation surgery is complex, but it is just as important to address the multidisciplinary needs of such patients. We have excellent support from our anaesthesia and critical care teams – Dr Arun V, Dr Subramanyam SM, and Dr Chinnadurai. Both husband and wife endured the procedure well, and are doing fine now.”

Thanking the doctors, the wife said: “I am very happy that I was able to donate a part of my liver to my husband and save his life. This happened only because of the wonderful expertise of the doctors at Aster RV Hospital and their commitment to me and my husband.”

The husband said: “I thank my wife for giving me a part of her liver to save my life. There can be no better gift on an occasion like Valentine’s Day, and no better example of love than this. I thank her from the bottom of my heart for giving me a new lease of life. I am also very grateful to the doctors.”