About the Health Information

• A rare and delicate reduced monosegmental living donor liver transplant was successfully performed on a five-month-old infant from Krishnagiri, weighing only 8 kg, at MGM Healthcare.The child was battling Crigler–Najjar Syndrome Type 1, a rare genetic disorder that severely impairs liver function and can be life-threatening without timely intervention.

• After a complex 10-hour procedure, the baby made a remarkable recovery and was discharged within just 14 days marking a significant milestone in pediatric liver transplantation.

Understanding Crigler–Najjar Syndrome

• This rare disorder, Crigler–Najjar Syndrome, impacts approximately one in a million babies, causing the liver to be unable to process bilirubin generated from red blood cell degradation. Excess bilirubin can lead to severe complications, including permanent brain damage (kernicterus), liver cirrhosis, and liver failure.

• Conventional treatment with phototherapy often fails to keep bilirubin levels under control in such cases. A liver transplant remains the sole definitive solution for individuals affected by this disorder.

The Surgical Challenge

• For this procedure, the doctors carefully removed a portion of the mother’s liver, resizing it to suit the infant’s tiny body.The precise surgical planning ensured that only the required 150–180 grams of healthy liver tissue were transplanted—while preserving all vital blood vessels and bile ducts.

• The surgical team, headed by Dr. Thiagarajan Srinivasan, Senior Consultant and Director, performed the complex procedure in collaboration with Dr. Srikanth Thummala and Dr. L. Soundara Rajan from the Institute of Liver Diseases, Transplant & HPB Surgery. Dr. Dinesh Babu and Dr. Nivash Chandrasekaran handled anesthesia and critical care, safeguarding the infant’s well-being during and after the surgery.