When an organ reaches the point where it can no longer perform its essential functions, medicines and other treatments may eventually stop being enough. For some patients with end-stage organ failure, transplantation can offer a chance to regain organ function and return to a more independent life. In India, organ transplantation is closely regulated under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994, which governs living and deceased donation and prohibits commercial dealings in human organs.
A transplant, however, is much more than the operation itself. It involves assessing whether transplantation is appropriate, finding a medically suitable donor, preparing the recipient, managing the surgery and intensive care, and continuing close medical supervision afterwards. At STAR Hospitals, organ transplantation is supported through dedicated transplant programmes and multidisciplinary teams spanning nephrology, hepatology, transplant surgery, cardiology, anaesthesia, critical care and other relevant specialties. STAR’s Kidney Care & Renal Transplantation and Liver, HPB & Liver Transplantation are some of the best centres of excellence in Hyderabad, alongside heart transplantation services.
Which Organs Can Be Transplanted?
Depending on the medical condition and availability of a suitable donor, transplantation may be considered for organs such as:
- Kidneys, particularly in end-stage kidney disease
- Liver, for selected patients with advanced liver disease or liver failure
- Heart, generally for carefully selected patients with end-stage heart failure
- Pancreas, lungs and intestine, in appropriately equipped transplant centres
India has a national framework for organ procurement and allocation through the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), along with regional and state-level organisations. For deceased-donor transplantation, eligible patients are registered through authorised transplant hospitals and the allocation process follows defined protocols.
Living and Deceased Donor Transplants
An organ may come from a living donor or a deceased donor, depending on the organ, the circumstances and the legal and medical requirements. Living donation is subject to eligibility and authorisation requirements under Indian law. Deceased donation can follow brain-stem death, which is legally recognised in India; organs are retrieved only after the required medical declaration and consent procedures have been completed.
STAR Hospitals provides several forms of transplantation, including:
- Living-related and deceased-donor kidney transplantation
- Kidney swap/paired exchange transplantation
- Across-blood-group (ABO) kidney transplantation
- Living-donor and cadaveric liver transplantation
- Paediatric liver transplantation
- Heart transplantation, including paediatric heart transplantation
- Autologous and allogeneic bone marrow/stem cell transplantation for appropriate blood disorders and cancers
What Happens Before a Transplant?
The decision to transplant is made only after a detailed assessment. Doctors consider the severity and cause of organ failure, the patient's overall health, possible complications, donor suitability and whether transplantation is likely to provide meaningful benefit.
For kidney transplantation, STAR's programme includes donor and recipient evaluation, dialysis management while awaiting transplantation, laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, immunosuppressive treatment and long-term monitoring. Its renal transplant services also cover management of rejection, infections and surgical complications.
For liver transplantation, STAR's Centre of Liver Sciences brings hepatologists, transplant surgeons, intensivists and transplant coordinators together for pre-transplant evaluation, optimisation and follow-up. The hospital also has a dedicated liver ICU for critically ill patients.
Life After Transplantation
Receiving a new organ does not mark the end of treatment. The recipient needs regular follow-up and, in most solid-organ transplants, immunosuppressive medicines to reduce the risk of rejection. Doctors monitor organ function, infections, medication effects and other possible complications over the long term.
This is why transplant care needs continuity. STAR's programmes include the following services,
- Post-transplant monitoring
- Management of rejection and infections
- Immunosuppressive therapy
- Rehabilitation and long-term follow-up
Its multidisciplinary model allows other specialists to be involved when the patient's condition requires it.
Organ Donation: The Other Half of Transplantation
Every successful deceased-donor transplant ultimately depends on someone choosing to donate. In India, people can register an organ and tissue donation pledge through the national NOTTO portal. Medical suitability for donation is assessed at the time of death, so registering a pledge does not mean that every organ will necessarily be used.
STAR Hospitals also participates in the Jeevandhan programme and states that it facilitates cadaveric kidney and heart transplantation while supporting awareness around ethical organ donation.
For a patient and family facing organ failure, transplantation can therefore represent a significant change in what is medically possible. At STAR Hospitals, the approach extends from evaluating the need for transplantation and preparing the patient to performing the procedure and providing the prolonged care that follows, because the real measure of a transplant is the life that comes after it
