THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Doctors at KIMSHEALTH successfully performed a complex liver transplant on 9-month-old Kashinath, hailing from Thiruvananthapuram. Weighing only 4kg during the surgery, Kashinath became one of Kerala’s youngest and lightest infants to undergo a successful liver transplant. Initially admitted for jaundice, further examinations revealed Kashinath suffered from biliary atresia, a rare condition affecting one in 70,000 newborns worldwide.
Dr Shabeerali T U, chief coordinator & senior consultant of the Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic & Liver Transplant Surgery, said that due to the severity of the condition, a liver transplant was the only viable option to save the child’s life. Facing the challenge of finding a suitable donor, Kashinath’s father volunteered despite having an incompatible blood group (B Positive). Under strict medical guidance, he successfully lost 10kg within a month to qualify as a donor.
Dr Shiraz Ahmad Rather, senior consultant and clinical chair of Transplant Services, highlighted the complexities of the procedure, including managing Kashinath’s age, weight, and small blood vessels, which required administering blood thinners to minimise clotting risks. The surgery lasted for 10 hours, and the baby was discharged after a month of hospital stay. Kashinath celebrated his first birthday at the hospital.
Dr Varghese Yeldho, consultant, Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreas and Liver Transplant, Dr Hashir A, Dr Prijith and Dr Harikumar G, consultants, Department of Anesthesia, Dr Madhu Sashidharan, senior consultant, Department of Gastroenterology, Dr Manish Kumar Yadav, senior consultant, Department of Interventional Radiology, Dr Manoj K S, senior consultant, Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Dr A Rajalakshmi, senior consultant and Dr Muhammed Niyaz, consultant, Department of Infectious Diseases and Dr Shiju Kumar, Department of Pediatric Critical Care, were also part of the medical team.