Delhi, November 18: In a historic event in 1998, doctors performed a life saving liver transplant on a 20-month-old Sanjay Kandasamy at Delhi's Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, 25 years down the road, the little boy has grown to become a successful doctor himself and is practising medicine at a hospital in his hometown in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. Sanjay Kandasamy became the first ever individual to undergo a liver transplant in this country. The ground-breaking surgery not only saved his life but also opened doors for future liver transplants in the country.

Kandasamy received a portion of her father's liver after he developed a life threatening liver disease --biliary atresia. It is a liver disorder characterized by an obstruction in the tubes (ducts) responsible for transporting bile from the liver to the gallbladder. This congenital condition arises when  the liver fails to develop normally. Delhi: Fan Blade Stuck in Two-Year-Old’s Head Removed After Three-Hour Surgery at Private Hospital in Faridabad.

Kandasamy who is all set to tie know next year in March said "seeing their work from such close quarters gave me the determination to become a doctor. I want to contribute to saving lives". Beaming with joy, he added that the operation had given him a second chance to live.

On the 25th anniversary of first ever paediatric liver transplant programme, Sanjay Kandasamy's family was felicitated  by veteran actor Dimple Kapadia. According to NDTV, doctors at the event stated that one-and-half-year-old infant from Bihar became the recipient in the 500th paediatric transplant surgery conducted across the hospital chain. Her family was too felicitated by the notable actor. Delhi: Man Suffers 100 Mini-Strokes in A Week, Saved After Stenting Surgery.

Kandasamy's doctor Anupam Sibal, also group medical director and senior paediatric gastroenterologist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said, "He (Kandasamy) is a classic example of long-term smooth survival after undergoing a liver transplant surgery". The historic surgery was not only a watershed moment for Kandasamy and his family but also it opened the doors for future liver transplants.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 18, 2023 06:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).