First liver donor discharged after successful transplantation in Kyrgyzstan

The first donor has been discharged from hospital after a successful liver transplant surgery performed in Kyrgyzstan. The press center of the Ministry of Health reported.

According to it, specialists — surgeons, transplantologists, gastroenterologists and resuscitators — had carefully monitored the condition of patients who underwent liver transplantation for 15 days.

«Daily morning and evening examinations, including tests for hemodynamics and biochemical parameters, as well as ultrasound and computed tomography, showed normal results. The livers of donors and recipients are functioning successfully: in one of the recipients, the transplanted liver grew from 450-500 grams to 800 grams, and in the other — up to 1 kilogram, which indicates a positive outcome of the operations,» the Ministry of Health reported.

«Today we discharge the first donor who donated part of her liver. This confirms the effectiveness and safety of the operations performed. Donors who donate half of their liver successfully undergo a recovery period, their vessels and anastomoses function normally. It should be noted that the cost of liver transplantation for one patient is about $50,000, including preoperative examinations, the operation itself and subsequent rehabilitation. These significant costs are covered by the presidential fund, which makes operations accessible to those who could not afford treatment abroad,» the Health Minister Alymkadyr Beishenaliev said.

The ministry added that about 17,000 people suffer from liver diseases in Kyrgyzstan, half of whom need a transplant surgery.

«We continue to look for compatible donors, as by law only relatives can participate in the program. Using the example of our donors and recipients, we see that the liver is restored within a month, and after three months it returns to normal,» the Ministry of Health noted.

The Ministry of Health continues to prepare patients for the next stage of operations, which is tentatively scheduled to take place in July. Of 15 people, four recipients have suitable donors who are currently undergoing all necessary preoperative examinations.

Recall, the first two free liver transplantations were performed in Kyrgyzstan at the Kyrgyz-Turkish Friendship Hospital. A group of transplantologists from the İnönü University Clinic (Malatya), headed by the rector, Professor, Academician Ahmet Kızılay arrived from Turkey to perform the operations.

Teams of Turkish and Kyrgyz specialists, led by Health Minister Alymkadyr Beishenaliev, took part in the operations.