KARACHI: A team of experts representing the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) “successfully” completed another liver transplant, the 190th procedure in the university’s record, on Wednesday.

The eight-hour operation was conducted on the DUHS Ojha campus and live-streamed on the university’s official website and social media platforms, offering an educational opportunity for a large gathering of medical students and trainees.

According to officials, the complex surgery involved a 23-year-old donor, who donated a portion of his liver to his 42-year-old uncle. Both of them are in stable condition after the operation.

“The procedure was supervised by renowned international surgeons; Prof John LaMattina and Prof John Fung. Both are associated with the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine.

“The professors provided valuable insights to Dow’s liver transplant team, headed by Dr Jehanzaib Haider, on cutting-edge surgical techniques and global trends in liver transplantation,” a spokesperson for the DUHS said.

Sharing details of the procedure, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the DUHS Prof Jehan Ara Hassan said the patient, resident of Shahdadkot, suffered from liver failure due to long-term hepatitis B and D infections.

“His 23-year-old nephew volunteered to donate a 750-gram portion of his liver, facilitating the successful transplant. The entire procedure is carried out free of cost,” she said, adding that the procedure wouldn’t have been possible without the Sindh government’s support.

She also highlighted that Pakistani society’s approach to organ donation was often shaped by religious and cultural beliefs.

In response, she added, the DUHS was developing a proposal for an organ donation bank to help improve accessibility and awareness. So far, according to officials, the university has successfully performed over 500 kidney transplants and dozens of bone marrow transplants.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025