31-07-2025
Advanced Liver Transplant Institute opens at city hospital
MGM SevenHills Hospital inaugurated an Advanced Liver Transplant Institute, in Visakhapatnam, led by well-known surgeon Dr. Thiagarajan Srinivasan Srinivasan, Senior Consultant and Director of the Director of Institute of Liver Diseases, Transplant and HPB Surgery, on Thursday.
Dr. Thiagarajan, an acclaimed liver transplant and HPB (Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary) surgeon, has performed over 1,700 liver transplants, including living donor, deceased donor, and paediatric transplants and over 1,000 advanced HPB surgeries, both open and laparoscopic. His notable achievements include a transplant on a two-month baby after removing a part of the mother's liver, and another transplant on a 78-year-old man in Chennai.
Speaking at the launch, Padmanabhan, Cluster 2 Head – MGM Healthcare said: 'An estimated over 20,000 people in Andhra Pradesh suffer from liver cirrhosis. However, fewer than 100 liver transplants are done in AP. The hospital's new liver institute in Vizag, which has a 25-member liver transplantation team aims to bridge the gap. Patients in Visakhapatnam and other parts of the State no longer need to travel to Chennai, Hyderabad or Bengaluru for advanced liver treatments as MGM SevenHills now offers comprehensive liver care and transplantation services locally with global standards.'
Dr. Thiagarajan explained the need for increased awareness on liver transplantation and surgeries as thousands of lives can be saved each year from conditions such as liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, acute liver failure, colorectal liver metastasis, gall bladder cancer and bile duct cancer. He added that eligible patients in Andhra Pradesh could get financial support up to ₹10 lakh per transplant under the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
Replying to media queries, Dr. Thiagarajan said that alcoholism, hepatitis B and jaundice are among the high-risk factors for liver diseases.
