
LAHORE:
In 2007, Amir Raza, an expatriate worker from Sialkot who was employed as a supervisor by a German company in Dubai, was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. For two years he sought and tried various treatments, but as his condition worsened, he left his job and he and his family returned to Pakistan in 2009.
Raza now sought treatment at the Shaikh Zayed Hospital in Lahore. Some months later that year, doctors treating him told his family he was not responding to the treatment and that they should consider a transplant. They said Raza would not recover without a transplant.
The inauguration of a Liver Transplant Centre at Shaikh Zayed Hospital in 2010 gave the family some hope. However, finding a suitable donor proved hard and they started exploring transplant options in India and China. The family’s research of transplant facilities abroad showed that they were out of their financial reach.
In 2011, Raza’s elder brother, Syed Arif Raza, agreed to donate a part of his liver. The surgery was finally scheduled for September 6.
On August 11, the family received a call from the hospital and were informed that a donor was available.
Masooma, Raza’s wife, said, “We could not believe that we had finally found a donor. We didn’t know who it was or from where...The doctor said that the transplant had to be carried out the same day.”
On August 11, a team of surgeons worked for 12 hours to plant the liver harvested from a 16-year-old victim of a road accident.
Cautiously optimistic, doctors are calling it Pakistan’s first successful liver transplant - a breakthrough.
The donor
Arsalan, a Cathedral School student, was driving a motorcycle on August 9 when it hit a pickup truck on Wahdat Road during the heavy rain. His mother was accompanying him at that time. They were both taken to Shaikh Zayed Hospital, where Arsalan was soon shifted to the intensive care unit.
The next day, he was put on a respirator. Two days later, doctors informed the family that his brain had stopped working. His organs, however, were still healthy. After the family gave their consent, Raza, who had been looking for a donor was called in for the transplant surgery.
Arsalan’s body was handed over to the family on Friday. His mother said that her entire family was at peace with their decision.
Muhammad Abdur Rauf, Arsalan’s grandfather, said that Dr Shah had called and informed them about the success of the transplant. “Our young boy’s liver has not been wasted. Hopefully his example will motivate more people thinking about what they can do for the society,” he said.
Arsalan’s mother remembers that her son had once expressed his desire to donate his organs. “We had no idea it would actually happen. But we have no regrets,” she says.
Arsalan was an only child, born ten years after his parents’ marriage. Known as a brilliant student, he was expecting his class 9 exam results by the end of August.
The reaction
The same evening, Masooma met Muhammad Arsalan’s family. She learnt that Arsalan, 16, had passed away the same day from injuries sustained in a road accident two days ago. Later, she visited the morgue to pay her respects.
Masooma said the doctors and hospital staff had been very helpful. She said the family had not been charged the cost of surgery. She said Dr Waqar Shah, who had been taking care of arranging a donor for Raza, had already informed them that the surgery will be free-of charge. Raza, reported to be recovering well after the surgery, is being monitored round the clock by a team of experts at Shaikh Zayed Hopsital, including head surgeon Dr Tariq Bangash. Dr Bangash said he is hopeful about Raza’s recovery. He said the patient will be kept at the ICU for a week before he is shifted to a room. “If Raza tries, he can stand up and walk on his own feet today (Tuesday),” he said.
The experts’ say
Talking to The Express Tribune, Dr Izharul Haq, a cancer specialist, said that there were some 2.5 million cases of compromised liver in Pakistan. He stressed a need for better health education, provision of preventive vaccination for Hepatitis C and early diagnosis. He said that the cost of such transplants varied between Rs4 million and Rs20 million. “In light of recent progress, people should be made aware of the possibility of organ donation and doubts and taboos associated with it removed. That might save hundreds of lives,” he added.
Dr Mahmood Shaukat of King Edward Medical College urged hospitals to follow international ethical conventions requiring among other things that patients be supervised by the same doctor for at least two years following surgery.
Previous attempts
The first liver transplant surgery in Pakistan was performed in 2004 by Dr Shaukat, then working at the Children’s Hospital. Unfortunately, the patient did not survive for more than 24 hours. Dr Shaukat said another attempt at the life-saving surgery at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation in Karachi, was unsuccessful. World’s first successful liver transplant was performed in the US in 1967.
How they work
Cadaver transplants involve organ harvesting within 24 hours of the donor’s death. Organs can also be taken from patients declared brain dead for more than 24 hours. Transplantable organs so far are kidneys, liver, pancreas, heart, eyes and lungs.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2011.
COMMENTS (13)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Our beloved little brother Ikram Raza passed away yesterday at Fajar Time and he was burried today in Pakistan just about an hour back.May Allah make his final journey very very easy.Thank you to those who gave me the contact.The time of Death is fixed, not a micro second more or less.We had to pull him off the Vent support because we couldn't see him in further pain.All treatment had failed.he was pronounced brain Dead day before. If anyone could give us the contact of Arsalan's family, we would like to meet the Azeem parents when we visit Lahore.If we can do anything possible to easy any difficulties or problems they maybe facing after the passing away of their only son.We would be very very grateful
You may like to contact Dr Faisal 0300 8552056, who is an experienced transplant surgeon at Shifa Islamabad
I don't know but this seems to be very urgent. May be your can contact Dr. Faisal Dar at Shifa Islamabad. He is a qualified transplant surgeon who has worked in Kings College Hospital, London and is very good. His Mobile No is 0300 8552056
We are ready to Pay all expenses. We have talked to some people in India too but that option is not feasible at the moment.Mainly because the patients condition doesnot allow him to travel by air and also because he doesnot have a passport.So first we have to apply for passport and then visa and all that would take a long time.Also the cost of all this extremely high although we are not concerned about this.Allah is Supreme and Raheem.Plz if any doctor of Sheikh Zayed Hospital reading my comment can help us, contact me immediately.The family members would also be willing for live donor.
While Arsalan lives on after his untimely death, his family deserves the highest respect and admiration from us all.
My Youngest Brother -in-Law Ikram Raza has just in a matter of 24 hrs developed Fulminant Liver Failure due to Hep-b and Hep D superimposed infection.He is currently fighting for his life at Doctor Hospital In Lahore.He has been in Coma since 2 days. His Liver has failed completely and we are desperate for a Liver donor or any experienced Surgeon in Pak who can Help us with this.Me and My husband and my husband are both doctors in U.S doing residency yet we are so helpless.I had been pretty surprised that there were no Liver Transplants in Pak til 3-4 dys back.This news is a blessing for US all. If any doctor working at Sheikh Zayed Hospital who can help us in this matter plz try to contact us as soon as possible.The Boy is only 23-23 years of age.
I pray to Allah to bless that Azeem Maa who donated her only son's liver.May they never encounter any suffering in life and May Allah bless them with more children.And I pray to Allah that the patient is recovered completely and that many other such people suffering in Pakistan can finally have relief.I also Pray to Allah to bless all those doctors who are working tirelessly for the true purpose of humanity, who leave all the blessings of the westa nd go back to their country just to serve their people.May Allah give them the higest reward.Ameen
It is great GESTURE & COURAGE shown by the donor Arsalan’s mother her Gesture & Courage must be appericated and awarded beside the team of Doctors.
Such an honorable family to donate their son's organs to save another human life. We must all pray for them and the patient recovering.
Hats off to the family of the donor and wishes of quick recovery for Raza. A good piece covered by the reporter and a wonderful success story in Pakistan's medical history.
Congratulations to Pakistani medical personnel who made this possible. Pakistan Zindabad.
A very good story on health that can help motivate people to nobel cause.
Keep up Aroosa.
Mussarat Hussain former Health Reporter, APP Lahore.
Washington DC, USA
Hope this is successful.