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Business Standard
23-05-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
World's youngest robotic liver transplant performed on 5-yr-old in Chennai
This five-year-old didn't just survive a liver transplant — he danced home. In a medical feat that is also a global first, doctors in Chennai performed a robotic liver transplant on the world's youngest patient. They did it all through a tiny hole, without a single big cut. What's more, the child's mother, who donated a portion of her liver, also had her surgery done robotically. The result? Both were back on their feet within days, with barely any scars to show. This is the story of 5-year-old Gurkirat Grover from Karnal, Haryana, whose life was saved by a blend of cutting-edge technology, expert hands, and a mother's love. What condition made liver transplant essential for the child? Gurkirat was born with a rare but dangerous genetic condition called Urea Cycle Defect. In simple terms, his liver couldn't properly process proteins. As a result, toxic ammonia built up in his body, especially in the brain—a condition that could be life-threatening if not treated. His parents, Nikita Kohli and Saurabh, had already lost their first child to the same disease. So, when Gurkirat was diagnosed early, they followed a strict medical routine, which involved no protein-rich foods, special medication, and constant hospital visits to manage ammonia spikes. But as Gurkirat grew, that kind of restricted life was no longer sustainable. His health began to decline, and the only permanent cure was a liver transplant. Why is this transplant considered a global first? Liver transplant is already among the most complex surgeries. Now imagine doing it on a tiny five-year-old body — using robotic arms instead of traditional open surgery. But the doctors at Rela Hospital in Chennai achieved it. 'This is not just a first for India, it's a first for the world,' said Professor Dr Mohamed Rela, Chairman of Rela Hospital and the lead surgeon. Here's what makes it special. It was: The world's first robotic liver transplant on such a young child The first time both the donor and recipient surgeries were robotic A surgery done through small incisions, with no major cuts or large scars The child was walking within three days and discharged in seven days His mother, who donated 25 per cent of her liver, also had her procedure robotically, and was out of the hospital in just five days 'Until last month, my son had not been able to have a normal diet, with food measured constantly and stress over ammonia levels. By the eighth day after the surgery, he was home, dancing,' Nikita said, holding back tears. What are the benefits of robotic liver transplant surgery? Unlike traditional open surgery, robotic liver transplant surgery is minimally invasive. That means: Tiny cuts and scars Less pain and faster healing Lower risk of infection Shorter hospital stays Better psychological outcomes, especially for children According to Dr Rela, robotic surgery also costs less in the long run, as it cuts down on complications, pain, and recovery time. 'Children with big scars often grow up feeling different,' he said. 'This way, they can play sports, make friends, and grow up without carrying visible reminders of their surgery.' He further explained that it was an Auxiliary Liver Transplant, one of the most technically difficult types of liver transplants. His team has performed over 400 robotic donor surgeries, but this was the first time in the world a robotic liver transplant was done on both a child and the donor. 'A portion of Gurkirat's native liver was left inside, which could be helpful later if gene therapy becomes an option. This child is now on a regular diet, plays like any child his age, and no longer needs to be admitted for emergency ammonia spikes,' said Dr Naresh Shanmugam, Director of Women and Child Health at Rela Hospital. 'Post-transplant, he's back to a normal life.' How much did the robotic liver surgery cost? According to Dr Rela Institute and Medical Center, Chennai, a liver transplant in India usually costs around ₹20–24 lakh. The robotic approach added about ₹2 lakh more—still a small price for a life-saving, scar-free, and quicker recovery surgery. 'This is just the beginning,' said Dr Rela. 'The future of surgery is robotic. It's safer, faster, less painful — and most importantly, life-changing for patients.' For more health updates, follow #HealthWithBS
United News of India
22-05-2025
- Health
- United News of India
In World's first, Chennai hosp performs Robotic liver transplant on 5-year-old
Chennai, May 22 (UNI) Perhaps for the first time in the world, the Chennai-based leading multi-speciality Rela Hospital has successfully performed a Robotic Liver Transplant on the youngest recipient to date-- five-year-old child. This marked a major milestone in the field of robotic and paediatric transplant surgery, combining cutting-edge technology with complex surgical expertise to deliver faster recovery and improved outcomes. Talking to reporters here on Thursday, its Chairman Prof Mohammed Rela said the hospital has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first hospital in the world to perform a robotic liver transplant on a five-year-old child. This makes the child the youngest recipient of a robotic liver transplant globally, marking a major advancement in both paediatric and robotic surgery. The patient (recipient), a five-year-old boy, was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Urea Cycle Defect, in which the liver cannot properly process proteins from food, leading to a harmful buildup of ammonia in the blood--a condition that can severely affect the brain. A liver transplant offered a definitive cure. The surgery proceeded smoothly without any complications, and the child was discharged within a week. In contrast, the conventional approach typically requires a hospital stay of 14 to 21 days, he said. The fact that the robotic surgery was performed on a child makes this achievement even more significant, as pediatric bodies offer far less space than adults', posing greater challenges for the insertion and maneuvering of robotic instruments. Remarkably, even the procedure to harvest a portion of the liver from a living donor was carried out using robotic assistance. The donor also had a brief hospital stay and was discharged within five days. Prof. Mohamed Rela said this was the first time in the world, Pediatric liver transplantation has been successfully performed completely using the Robotic Platform. This is a major milestone in the field of surgery itself. This is an extremely complex surgery with delicate microvascular anastomosis techniques. To add to the complexity the operation was also performed as an Auxiliary Liver Transplant which is the most technically complex of all liver transplant operations. This advancement in the field of liver transplantation not only offers rapid recovery with less pain, but also helps with normal psycho-social development of these children during their teen years without a large scar in their abdomen. UNI GV 1625
