Specialised Liver Transplant Intensive Care in Kochi

The period immediately before and after liver transplantation can involve rapidly changing clinical conditions requiring continuous specialist monitoring.

The Dedicated Transplant Intensive Care Unit at Apollo Adlux Hospital, Kochi provides advanced critical care support for liver transplant recipients with 24/7 intensivist monitoring and multidisciplinary transplant team involvement.Following liver transplantation, patients generally spend the initial phase of recovery in intensive care because extensive monitoring is required.

24/7 Intensivist-Led Monitoring

The transplant intensive care team continuously evaluates the patient's cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, renal and liver function. Monitoring may include:

• Continuous heart rate and rhythm monitoring
• Blood pressure monitoring
• Oxygenation and respiratory monitoring
• Mechanical ventilation when required
• Liver function assessment
• Kidney function monitoring
• Urine output
• Fluid and electrolyte balance
• Blood glucose
• Blood clotting parameters
• Infection indicators
• Surgical drain output
• Transplanted liver blood flow where clinically indicated

Close multidisciplinary communication enables changes in the patient's condition to be identified promptly.

Advanced Critical Care After Liver Transplant

Patients recovering from transplantation may require different levels of supportive care depending on their condition. Critical care support may include:

Advanced haemodynamic monitoring

• Mechanical ventilation
• Blood product management
• Fluid management
• Renal support
• Infection management
• Pain control
• Nutritional support
• Early mobilisation
• Management of other organ dysfunction

Care is individualised according to the patient's pre-transplant condition, complexity of surgery and post-operative recovery.

Monitoring Transplanted Liver Function

The transplant team closely evaluates how the new liver is functioning. This may involve:

• Serial liver function tests
• Blood coagulation tests
• Lactate monitoring
• Doppler ultrasound
• Assessment of blood flow through the liver
• Bile drainage assessment
• Additional imaging where clinically required

Advanced diagnostics help the team detect potential vascular, biliary or graft-related complications.

Infection Control in the Transplant ICU

Infection prevention is particularly important for liver transplant recipients because immunosuppressive therapy alters normal immune responses. Strict infection-control protocols, careful line and catheter management, infection surveillance and specialist infectious disease support form part of transplant critical care.

Nutrition and Early Rehabilitation in the ICU

Recovery starts during intensive care itself. Where clinically appropriate, patients are gradually started on nutritional support, physiotherapy, breathing exercises, mobilisation and rehabilitation. Early multidisciplinary rehabilitation helps support recovery following major transplant surgery.

Transition from ICU to Transplant Ward

Once the patient's transplanted liver is functioning satisfactorily and cardiovascular, respiratory and other clinical parameters have stabilised, the transplant team determines when the patient can safely move from intensive care to the specialised transplant ward. Monitoring and rehabilitation continue throughout hospitalisation before the patient transitions to outpatient transplant follow-up.

Why Choose Apollo Adlux Hospital for Liver Transplantation?The Department of Liver Transplantation at Apollo Adlux Hospital, Kochi provides a comprehensive transplant pathway bringing together specialised clinical expertise and advanced hospital infrastructure.

Our programme provides:

• Living Donor Liver Transplantation
• Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation
• Paediatric Liver Transplantation
• Split Liver Transplantation
• Management of Complex Liver Transplant Cases
• Comprehensive Recipient Evaluation
• Detailed Living Donor Assessment
• Dedicated Twin Transplant Theatres
• Dedicated Transplant Intensive Care Unit
• 24/7 Intensivist Support
• Advanced Diagnostics and Imaging
• Infectious Disease Management
• Immunosuppression Monitoring
• Nutritional Support
• Physical and Psychological Rehabilitation
• Structured Long-Term Post-Transplant Care

From diagnosis and transplant evaluation to surgery, critical care, rehabilitation and lifelong follow-up, the programme is designed to provide continuous and coordinated liver transplant care under one multidisciplinary team.