Father Gives Piece of Liver to Daughter Suffering from Biliary Atresia [Surgery Was Successful]

A dad from India decided to donate a portion of his liver to his five-year-old daughter. It was a gesture that the dad did to save his daughter's life.

The operation went well, and the young girl is recovering from the surgery.

5-year-old daughter's condition

According to a report from the Hindustan Times, the five-year-old daughter was suffering from biliary atresia.

When she was born, she already had a Kasai procedure. It is a corrective procedure at birth for babies with biliary atresia. However, a twenty percent chance that those who had the Kasai procedure would no longer need a liver transplant; a more significant 80 percent of the babies need to undergo a liver transplant later in life.

The five-year-old daughter is one of the 80 percent.

That is why her father decided to donate 300 grams of his liver to his daughter.

The operation lasted for ten hours. After the transplant, the liver worked straight away. Eventually, the five-year-old daughter was moved out of the intensive care unit and already stable.

Challenge in operation for biliary atresia

According to the lead doctor in the surgery of the five-year-old daughter, Dr. Gaurav Chaubal, operation in children is often challenging. He said, "The liver transplantation in children is often very challenging as they have very small blood vessels which need to be connected to the new liver and the operation is technically challenging."

Dr. Chaubal explained that liver transplant is usually the way for children with biliary atresia to survive. Thirty percent of those diagnosed with this condition need a liver transplant before a child reaches their first birthday. Eighty percent would at least need the operation at 20 years old.

What is biliary atresia?

The condition, biliary atresia, is common among newborn babies. It is when the bile ducts of the liver fail to develop.

Because the ducts prevent the bile from the liver to drain, it causes liver damage, which can also lead to cirrhosis.

Research shows that out of 10,000 live births, one newborn baby is affected by biliary atresia.

In the United States, around 300 newborn babies are affected by this condition every year.

There is no known cause of biliary atresia. However, indeed, it is not hereditary or contagious. There is also no proof that it is something caused by what the mother did during pregnancy. Also, this condition is not preventable.

Some of the most common symptoms of biliary atresia are the following:

• Dark yellow urine
• Jaundice or turning of the skin to yellowish appearance
• Pale stool
• Poor weight gain

If these symptoms are observed, it would be best to consult a health professional.

A newborn baby may undergo several tests to confirm their condition.