Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh has successfully treated two critically ill patients suffering from advanced liver failure along with severe cardiac conditions — a combination widely regarded as extremely high-risk and often fatal.
Globally, combined liver transplantation and complex cardiac surgery remain exceptionally rare because these procedures demand extraordinary surgical precision, advanced infrastructure, and seamless multidisciplinary coordination. Only a limited number of such cases have been documented worldwide.
Patients Faced Life-Threatening Liver and Heart Conditions
Both patients were living with decompensated chronic liver disease, an advanced stage of liver failure that can lead to severe complications such as abdominal fluid accumulation, jaundice, bleeding from the food pipe, kidney dysfunction, and altered consciousness. Doctors determined that liver transplantation was the only viable life-saving option.
However, during the pre-transplant assessment, specialists discovered serious cardiac complications in both patients, making immediate liver transplantation unsafe unless the heart conditions were treated first.
The first patient, a 46-year-old resident of Kashkadarya, Uzbekistan, was diagnosed with severe blockages in all three major coronary arteries. Meanwhile, the second patient, aged 41 years, suffered from critical narrowing of the aortic valve, which controls blood flow from the heart to the body.
Doctors Designed Integrated Treatment Plans
Recognizing the complexity of both cases, the medical teams developed personalized treatment strategies to address the liver and heart conditions simultaneously.
For the first patient, surgeons performed a coronary artery bypass grafting procedure on the beating heart to minimize bleeding risks associated with advanced liver disease. Immediately afterward, the team carried out a living-donor liver transplant during the same surgical session to ensure continuity of care.
In the second case, doctors first conducted open-heart surgery to replace the damaged aortic valve. After monitoring the patient closely for 24 hours to rule out complications such as stroke, the team proceeded with a living-donor liver transplant the following day.
Extensive Surgical Coordination Ensured Success
Each surgery lasted several hours and required meticulous planning, advanced anaesthesia support, and round-the-clock intensive care monitoring. Despite the significant bleeding risks linked to liver failure, the teams managed blood loss effectively while keeping blood transfusion requirements minimal.
Both patients showed steady recovery after surgery and were discharged in stable condition within three weeks. They now have well-functioning transplanted livers along with stable cardiac health — an outcome considered remarkable given the rarity and complexity of such interventions.
As per the press release, combined liver transplantation and major cardiac surgery in patients with advanced liver disease are among the most challenging procedures in modern medicine due to the high surgical risks involved.
Doctors Highlight Importance of Timely Intervention
Dr. Ashish George, Principal Consultant and Unit Head – Liver Transplant and HPB Surgery, said delaying treatment was not an option because of the severity of the patients’ conditions.
He stated that the successful outcomes resulted from precise timing, carefully selected surgical techniques, and close collaboration among multiple specialties. He further emphasized that patients once considered inoperable can now receive successful treatment with the right expertise and coordinated care.
The cardiology team at Fortis Shalimar Bagh explained that both patients required urgent cardiac intervention in addition to liver transplantation, making the cases exceptionally complex. They credited the successful outcomes to strong teamwork, super-specialty expertise, and advanced medical infrastructure.
Fortis Reinforces Leadership in Advanced Care
Naveen Sharma, Facility Director at Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh, said these rare cases demonstrate the hospital’s strength in managing multi-organ failure through close coordination between liver transplant surgeons, cardiac surgeons, anaesthesiologists, and critical care specialists.
He added that these successful procedures further establish Fortis Shalimar Bagh as a leading centre for advanced liver transplantation and complex cardiac care, offering renewed hope to patients facing multiple life-threatening illnesses.