Hyderabad, February 20, 2025: Gleneagles Hospitals, Lakdi-ka-pul, part of the Fortis Healthcare Network, has established itself as one of India’s premier liver transplant centres after completing more than 1,500 successful liver transplants over the past 15 years. The hospital has achieved a remarkable survival rate exceeding 95 percent, matching outcomes seen at leading global transplant centres. The achievement reflects the expertise of a dedicated multidisciplinary team led by Dr. Vishal K. Chorasiya, Head of HPB and Lead Liver Transplant Surgeon, who has personally performed over 2,500 liver transplant surgeries during his career.
The hospital has recently introduced Pure Laparoscopic Donor Hepatectomy for adult living liver donors, marking a significant advancement in donor care. This minimally invasive procedure uses small incisions instead of large abdominal cuts, resulting in minimal pain, almost no visible scarring, faster recovery times, shorter hospital stays and quicker return to normal activities. The keyhole approach significantly reduces physical trauma for donors, who are often young parents or siblings volunteering to save a loved one’s life. The hospital is also planning to introduce Robotic Donor Hepatectomy soon to further enhance precision and donor comfort at affordable costs.
Dr. Vishal K. Chorasiya explained that the focus at Gleneagles Hospitals is to honour the generosity of adult donors by making the procedure as safe and comfortable as possible. He emphasized that laparoscopic donor liver retrieval gives donors confidence that they can save a loved one while experiencing less pain, shorter hospitalisation and minimal scarring. The surgical team is supported by Dr. Manikanteshwar Rao D and Dr. Tharun Gattu, hepatologists Dr. Kavya Dendukuri and Dr. Sameer Kumar Godey, transplant intensivists Dr. Ganesh Chowhan and Dr. Kartika Balaji, anaesthetist Dr. Varsha CH and transplant radiologist Dr. Uma Karri.
Dr. Ganesh Chowhan, Transplant Intensivist, stated that the team has invested in advanced minimally invasive techniques, imaging and peri-operative protocols to ensure adult donors receive world-class care close to home. This approach expands access to living donor transplants for adults who might otherwise face long waiting times and disease progression. The hospital has developed comprehensive protocols to ensure donor safety remains the top priority throughout the transplant process.
The hospital has also developed a comprehensive pediatric liver transplant programme, establishing itself as one of the leading centres in India for treating children with severe liver disorders including biliary atresia, metabolic liver disease and acute liver failure. In paediatric cases, most transplants are performed using open surgical techniques tailored to the child’s size and condition. The team specialises in highly complex procedures, including monosegment graft liver transplants for very small infants, where only a tiny segment of the donor’s liver is transplanted. The programme has achieved some of the best paediatric liver transplant success rates in the country.
Dr. Kavya Dendukuri, Pediatric Hepatologist, noted that pediatric liver transplant surgery demands a different level of precision due to tiny vessels, fragile tissues and very limited physiologic reserve. The dedicated transplant team brings together surgeons, hepatologists, intensivists and nurses specifically trained to care for children before, during and after transplant. Dr. Tharun Gattu, Liver Transplant Surgeon, added that living donor transplantation for children provides flexibility to operate at the right time before complications become irreversible, allowing many young patients to return to school and enjoy excellent quality of life.
The hospital’s transplant programme is supported by state-of-the-art modular Operation Theatres, a dedicated Liver Intensive Care Unit with specially trained transplant nurses, round-the-clock laboratory services, advanced radiology, blood bank facilities and a dedicated transplant coordination team. Dr. Manikanteshwar Rao D, Liver Transplant Surgeon, emphasized that liver transplantation is not just surgery but a comprehensive process involving careful evaluation, preparation, critical care and lifelong follow-up. Each donor undergoes thorough medical evaluation to ensure safety, and stringent infection control protocols and international transplant guidelines are followed at every step.
Mr. Bharath Kanth Reddy, Regional CEO of Gleneagles Hospitals, Chennai and Hyderabad, stated that liver transplantation is one of the most demanding areas in modern medicine and the hospital has emerged as a trusted destination for patients from across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and beyond. Mr. Anil Vinayak, Group COO of Fortis Healthcare Limited, said the liver transplant achievements at Gleneagles Hospitals reflect the commitment to building centres of excellence that deliver world-class care while staying accessible and patient-centric for the communities they serve.
