Back to life from a near dead end

When Kamal Kapoor first contacted doctors in Global Hospital for his liver problem, little did he imagine he would have to undergo two major surgeries. Kapoor, an Oshiwara resident, had chronic liver failure and was advised immediate liver transplant.

Obesity (he weighed 130kg) was an issue and he was advised to lose weight or wait for a cadaver donor, but then Kapoor complained of back pain.

"He then underwent a procedure for stabilizing fracture in the spine (compression fracture), but that did not improve his condition. Investigations revealed he had spine tuberculosis. MRI and biopsy showed pus formation around the spine," said Dr Vishal Peshattiwar, spine surgeon.

Kapoor's TB had doctors worried as there was a chance of standard TB medicine becoming toxic to the liver.

"We had to modify the anti-TB medicine regime. In this period, his back pain worsened and he was bed-ridden for around five months. He was also advised to lose a weight," said Dr Peshattiwar.

Kapoor's condition had reached a dead end due to liver failure and resulting deranged clotting. It wasn't safe for him to undergo spine surgery. His son, meanwhile, decided to donate a part of his liver, and surgery was scheduled.

"The spine team decided to use an innovative and minimally invasive spine surgical technique. This surgery enabled Kapoor, bed-ridden for months, to walk within two days of the surgery," said Dr Peshattiwar.

Six weeks post (spine) surgery, Kapoor underwent an eight-hour long liver transplant surgery, with his son donating a part of his liver. Post-operative recovery was good and Kapoor started walking two days after the surgery. He now regularly keeps meeting both the liver and spine surgery teams for check-ups.