Liver Transplant – Delhi Hospital Treats Filipino Twin Brothers
Liver Transplant – Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi has carried out two living-donor liver transplants for 23-month-old twin brothers from the Philippines, marking the first paediatric twin liver transplant case in the hospital’s history. The procedures were performed days apart after both children developed liver failure linked to a rare congenital bile duct condition.
Congenital disorder caused severe liver damage
The twins, Tyler and Kelly, were born prematurely and weighed 2 kg and 2.4 kg respectively at birth. Within their first two weeks, both developed persistent jaundice, prompting further medical examination.
Doctors diagnosed them with Choledochal Cyst Type IVA, a rare birth-related disorder in which the bile ducts become abnormally enlarged. The condition can disrupt the normal flow of bile and gradually damage the liver. In the twins’ case, the illness progressed to liver failure, leaving transplantation as the only long-term treatment option.
Two family members became living donors
The case required detailed planning because both siblings needed liver transplants within a short period. Their mother donated part of her liver to one child. Their father was not medically eligible to become a donor, according to the hospital.
The family’s maternal uncle then volunteered to donate a portion of his liver to the second twin. The availability of two compatible living donors enabled doctors to schedule the operations without waiting for deceased-donor organs.
Living-donor liver transplantation involves removing a portion of a healthy donor’s liver and transplanting it into the patient. The liver has the ability to regenerate, allowing both the donor and recipient liver tissue to grow over time under medical supervision.
Long surgeries involved complex reconstruction
The transplant procedures were led by Dr Anupam Sibal, group medical director and senior paediatric gastroenterologist, along with Dr Neerav Goyal, senior consultant and head of liver transplant surgery at the hospital.
Tyler’s operation lasted for more than 15 hours, while Kelly underwent a surgery lasting around 13 hours. The hospital said both procedures required extensive reconstruction because of the children’s small size and the complexity of their underlying bile duct disorder.
Paediatric liver transplants are among the more demanding procedures in transplant medicine, particularly when patients are very young and have advanced liver disease. Teams must carefully manage blood vessels, bile ducts and liver tissue while ensuring the transplanted organ segment functions properly after surgery.
Hospital reports healthy recovery for both children
Both twins have recovered well after the operations and currently have healthy liver function, the hospital said. Their recovery will continue to be monitored through regular follow-up consultations, medication and tests to assess the functioning of the transplanted liver.
Dr Sibal said liver transplantation in twins is uncommon, and performing the procedure for both siblings within the same period is even more unusual. He noted that the hospital has completed 645 paediatric liver transplants, but this was its first case involving twin recipients.
The case highlights the role of early diagnosis, specialist paediatric care and family participation in living-donor transplant programmes. For children with serious congenital liver and bile duct disorders, timely referral to a transplant centre can be critical when conventional treatment is no longer effective.