HYDERABAD: For thirteen years, K Kavya (20) suffered from a rare genetic liver disorder called ‘Wilson Disease’. Patients suffering from the disease shuddered, could not walk and eat properly.
The problem aggravated and she could not take her final year B Tech examinations recently. All through the while her father, S Srinivasulu consulted major corporate hospitals who quoted ` 30 to ` 70 lakh for liver transplantation. Holding a small time job in a chit fund company, Srinivasulu and his wife S Krishnaveni lost hope of getting their daughter treated due to the huge funds needed for the transplantation. They assumed that Kavya would be able to live only for about a year.
Upon advise, the family visited Osmania General Hospital (OGH) couple of months ago. On August 2, they found a glimmer of hope when they received a call from OGH doctors that there are chances for surgery and in a span of two hours Kavya was transplanted with a liver on August 3. She is now doing well. The surgery was performed free of cost at OGH.
Patients who suffer from Wilson Disease, which is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, will suffer from issues like copper excretion mechanism. Due to this, copper accumulates in the cornea, liver and brain resulting in liver disease and neurological problems. The organs which get affected do not function normally as excess deposits of copper damages tissues.
Dr CH Madhusudhan, head of surgical gastroenterology department at OGH, said that they had performed a cadaver liver transplantation with support from Telangana government.
“The patient has recovered and was discharged on August 18,” said Madhusudhan, who lead a team of 20-doctors.
“We thought she would be alive for six-months to a year. But the doctors saved her life. She is able to lead a normal life now,” said Srinivasulu.