One-year-old baby 500th liver recipient from Pakistan

One-year-old Nalain Aziz has become the 500th Pakistani patient who underwent a successful liver transplant at a city hospital here, doctors said Wednesday.

Nalain, who had jaundice and features of end-stage liver failure when he was admitted to the Indraprastha Apollo hospital, underwent surgery March 12.

"Nalain Aziz had jaundice since birth and was diagnosed with billiary atresia, a condition where there is no connection between liver and intestine, when his parents took him to doctors in Lahore," Subhash Gupta, a liver transplant surgeon at the hospital, told IANS at an event organised to announce the successful completion of 500 liver transplants of Pakistani patients.

He said the baby was taken to hospital back home on various occasions, and also underwent the "kasai" operation - which is done to connect the liver and intestine.

"But his condition only worsened as he developed a swelling in his abdomen and had other medical complications also. So, we had to perform a liver transplant," Gupta said.

Nalain's mother became his donor, as she shared the same blood group, following which a successful liver transplant was performed by a team of doctors.

"We were very scared when we brought Nalain here, but soon became hopeful as the doctors helped," said his father Shoaib Nawaz.

He said the family will be leaving for Lahore soon to celebrate Nalain's second birthday.

"Though he will be on medication throughout his life, the quantity will decrease over time. The baby is healthy and will have a good quality of life," Gupta said.