Doctors at the Apollo Hospital have carried out a liver transplant on Sivojit Paul, a seven-month-old child from Kolkata, to treat a rare liver problem known as Biliary Atresia, in which there is no link between the intestine and the liver to excrete the bile. 

Sivojit became the youngest Indian child ever to go through a liver transplant.

The liver transplant was performed in September by a group of 20 doctors chaired by Dr. Subhash Gupta, senior consultant with the hospital. 

Sivojit’s father, Dr. Indrajit Pal, a lawyer, donated a part of his liver for the operation. The doctors took out liver parts from his father, and successfully transplanted it in Sivojit’s body.
 
Dr. Anupam Sibal, Senior pediatric gastroentologist, said, “In biliary atresia there is no connection between liver and intestine, so bile cannot be excreted. Only 1 out of 1200 babies suffer from this condition. There is no other option but to conduct a liver transplant in such a case.” 

“Sivojit was brought to our hospital when he was six months old and his condition was deteriorating. He had already been operated upon once. His case was a big challenge for us as he was so young. Usually liver transplants can be done only if a child is over a year,” Mr. Sibal added. 

The physicians said that Sivojit was a “high risk” child as his general condition was too weak and he had undergone a Kasai operation to connect the liver and intestine, only two months back. 

Dr. Subhash Gupta, who headed the team of doctors that performed the surgery stated, “As the liver transplant was the only way left to save the baby, we decided to go with the option even after even after high risk.”

Sivojit’s parents decided to donate liver but after a series of tests, the father’s liver was found to be in a better condition. 
 
Now the kid is recovering and doctors at Apollo hospital think that he will be able to live a normal life with proper medication. 

Sivojit’s father was away, but his mother Hunmoon Dubey Pal could not stop appreciating the hospital staff. 

“This is a Durga Puja gift for me,” she said. 

The doctors said that Sivojit will have to be administered emancipation and anti-rejection medication worth nearly five to six thousand per month all through his life.