Liver Transplant in India and Other Countries – An Analysis


Many people are opting for a liver transplant in India mainly because treatment costs in India are comparatively low. When it comes to opting for the procedure, you can choose both the country and the hospital where you’re planning to get your new liver, based on your preferences.

Liver Transplant in India and Other Countries

The procedure is almost the same in all the countries and the only difference is the cost of the procedure and the success rate that each country or hospital guarantees. Going by the success rate, you can get your liver transplant in India, USA or the UK, as these three nations are well known for the medical facilities that they provide.

Liver Transplant in India

Western medicine is fast developing in India, and the Apollo hospital in New Delhi has the best success rate for liver transplants in India. The success rate at this hospital is 85% for people who have completed three years post operation. These rates are higher than those recorded by the Mayo Clinic in the USA or even UK Health Care. This hospital also takes up living donor liver transplant procedures.

liver transplant in india
The success rate for a liver transplant in India is around 89.5% (Apollo Hospital)

The protocol is the same as that followed in the USA and the UK. Both the donor and the recipient are tested for a match, the recipient is then sent for more blood tests, electrocardiograms, cardiac evaluation and medical imaging. This gives the doctors a complete picture of the patient’s health.

Liver Transplant Cost in India

The cost for the procedure in India can range between $50,000 and $70,000, including a stay in the hospital till the patient is discharged. The charges may vary depending on the hospital, and these expenses are inclusive of pre operative and post operative care and the patient’s stay.

Liver Transplant in USA

In the states, almost all clinics offer liver transplant procedures. Although most hospitals in the USA have transplant units, only a few clinics offer options for living donor liver transplants and among these, the Mayo Clinic at Arizona offers the best success rate. It has clinics in three locations – Arizona, Florida and Minnesota.

liver transplant in usa
The Mayo Clinic provides the best success rate for a liver transplant in USA

Liver Transplant Cost in USA

Hospitals in the US charge around $250000 for the actual procedure and the overall costs can range around $314,000 including pre operative and post operative care. The Mayo Clinic has the best success rate when dealing with complications that rise during or due to liver transplants.

Liver Transplant UK

In the UK, the procedure for a liver transplant is the same as that in the United States. Once you are assessed and deemed medically fit to go for a transplant, you will be put on a waiting list in case you’re looking for a deceased liver transplant. You can also consider a cadaver donor liver transplant.

In this case, the cadaver is a patient who suffers from brain damage, which is essentially irreversible. Once, the cadaver’s family agrees to donate his or her organ for transplant, the procedure is carried out. UK Health Care currently does not offer living donor liver transplants.

UK Health Care provides a variety of options where cost is concerned. A financial advisor will always be present to help you understand these situations better.

liver transplant in UK
You can avail the services of a financial advisor when you opt for a liver transplant UK

The most important thing to consider before proceeding with surgery in any country or hospital is the rate of success of the clinic or medical facility. If a patient’s health is in fairly good condition, the success rate as per the UK Health Care system is 90 percent. According to a recent survey conducted by the UK government, the chances of living after the procedure have risen as high as 80 percent.

As the liver transplant procedure in India, the USA and the UK is almost similar, the cost involved is the only differentiating factor that people look at when they try and make a decision. A liver transplant in India is the preferred option as the medical facilities are of high standards and the charges are affordable.