Zimbabwean Boy 'Breathing On His Own' After Rare Liver Transplant 'With 67% Shunt Fraction' At Gurugram Hospital

What made the case unique and complex was that oxygen was bypassing the five-year old's lungs. As a result, his heart was able to oxygenate only one-third of the blood it was pumping.

Zimbabwean national Leon Tadiswa with doctors after the successful surgery

New Delhi: Today, April 19, is observed as World Liver Day. Every year this day is used to spread awareness about liver-related diseases. Afterall liver is the second largest organ in the human body and has multiple functions from fighting infections to removing toxic substances from the body. 

As we may learn more about how to keep the liver healthy on World Liver Day 2022, a recent liver transplant surgery has been turning a few heads around.

A team of doctors at a Gurugram hospital performed delicate liver transplant surgery to save Zimbabwean national Leon Tadiswa, a five-year-old.

What made the case unique and complex was that oxygen was bypassing the five-year old's lungs. As a result, his heart was able to oxygenate only one-third of the blood it was pumping. Due to this, the kid had to carry an oxygen cylinder with him all the time. 

Leon was suffering from respiratory failure. In October 2021, he was diagnosed with an uncommon condition called hepatopulmonary syndrome, a condition that affects the lungs of those with advanced liver disease.

At Artemis Hospital in Gurugram, a liver transplant surgery was successfully conducted by a panel of expert doctors.

Dr Giriraj Bora led the team of surgeons from Artemis Hospital that included Dr Prabhat Maheshwari, Chief - Neonatal & Paediatric Critical Care, Dr Sakshi Karkra, Head - Pediatric Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Dr Shyam Sunder Mahansaria, Sr. Consultant - Liver Transplant & Gastrointestinal Surgery and Dr Rajesh Mishra, Chairperson – Anaesthesia.

According to Dr Giriraj Bora: “On examination, we found that it was a case of a very high level of oxygen bypass. The child’s shunt fraction was 67%. This means that only one-third of the blood pumped by his heart was carrying oxygen. Such a poor figure for blood oxygenation has not been recorded in India before. A liver transplant was the only option to save the child’s life.”

“When the patient visited us for an initial checkup, he needed to be administered 10 litres of oxygen every minute to survive. After the transplant, he is now completely off the oxygen cylinder and is breathing naturally and effortlessly. Leon can now lead a normal life like any other kid of his age,” Dr Bora added.

Leon’s mother, Nyasha Mhandu, thanked the hospital and doctors for saving her child's life and wished to see her son grow and lead a normal life. 

“My life turned upside down when my child was diagnosed with such a serious disease. I had lost all hope and couldn’t sleep. I still cannot believe that Leon is breathing on his own now," said the elated mother.