LAHORE: A father from Bannu has donated part of his liver to his daughter, while a husband from Rawalpindi has donated part of his liver to his wife, as the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Centre (PKLI) successfully completed two more liver transplants on October 12 and 13.
The two procedures involved living liver donation, a form of transplantation in which a suitable donor gives part of their liver to a recipient. Both operations were performed under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Faisal Saud Dar, Dr. Ehsan-ul-Haq and Dr. Bilal Ahmed.
The latest procedures add to PKLI’s recent transplant activity. The institute had previously completed two more liver transplants and one kidney transplant, according to the information provided about the procedures.
The cases highlight the role that living donation can play in making liver transplantation possible for patients who need a transplant, with relatives sometimes stepping forward to help a family member receive treatment.
How living liver donation works
Unlike a whole-organ transplant from a deceased donor, living donor liver transplantation involves removing a portion of a healthy donor’s liver and transplanting it into the recipient. The remaining liver tissue in the donor and the transplanted portion can grow and regain substantial volume and function over time.
According to the UK’s NHS Organ Donation service, a donor’s liver can recover about 90% of its original volume and function within six weeks of donation. Recovery varies, and liver regeneration does not mean that the operation is minor or risk-free. Donors must undergo careful medical assessment to determine whether donation is appropriate and safe for them.
The NHS also notes that living liver donation is a major surgical decision requiring informed, voluntary consent and thorough evaluation. Potential donors may not be eligible if their medical assessment identifies risks or incompatibilities.
PKLI’s official liver transplant service describes its programme as one of a limited number in Pakistan offering living donor liver transplantation. The institute says its transplant protocol includes donor and recipient assessment, as well as post-transplant care intended to reduce the risks of infection, organ rejection and other complications.
Specialists supervising the procedures
Prof. Dr. Faisal Saud Dar is a liver transplant, hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeon and the dean of PKLI. The institute lists Dr. Ihsan-ul-Haq as chairman and programme director of liver transplantation, hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery. Dr. Bilal Ahmed was also named among the specialists supervising the two procedures.
PKLI provides transplant services for adults and children, including patients with conditions such as liver cirrhosis and certain liver cancers, as well as selected paediatric liver diseases.
The institute’s broader transplant work includes kidney transplantation alongside specialised liver care. Its official services information outlines dedicated surgical and intensive-care support for transplant patients, reflecting the multidisciplinary care required before and after these complex operations.
Why donor recovery and follow-up matter
Although liver tissue has a strong capacity to regenerate, recovery takes time and requires medical follow-up. Living donors undergo major surgery and may face complications, so donor safety remains a central consideration throughout assessment, surgery and recovery.
For recipients, transplantation also involves continued specialist care and monitoring. The successful completion of an operation is an important milestone, but it does not by itself establish the longer-term recovery or outcome of either the donor or recipient.
PKLI’s latest procedures add two more liver transplants to the institute’s recent activity, with a father donating to his daughter and a husband donating to his wife. No further details were provided about the recipients’ underlying diagnoses, post-operative condition or recovery.
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