Liver tumour surgery · Somalia
The reports come first
For an international patient the journey starts before the flight. The family sent scans and reports; Dr Gupta reviewed them, confirmed that the tumour could be removed, and the international desk sent a treatment estimate and the medical-visa invitation letter. Only then did the family travel.
Major liver surgery at 70
Age alone is never a reason to refuse liver surgery — fitness is. Heart, lungs, nutrition and liver reserve were assessed on arrival, and the volume of liver that would remain after resection was calculated on CT. The tumour was removed with a margin of healthy liver, using the transplant team's techniques for controlling blood loss.
Recovery far from home
The days after major liver surgery were spent in the liver ICU and then on the ward — early walking, early feeding, daily rounds. The family stayed close to the hospital and were kept updated in their own language through the international desk.
Cleared to fly
This photograph marks the last OPD visit: wound checked, liver tests normal, a discharge summary and medicines in hand, and a follow-up plan by video call once home. The tumour that brought the family to India stayed behind in the pathology lab.
“Distance is not a barrier when the reports are sent first. We decide together — before anyone books a flight — whether surgery will help.”
What this means for you
- Send reports on WhatsApp: opinion and estimate usually within 48 hours
- Medical-visa invitation letters are issued by the hospital's international desk
- Follow-up after you return home is by video consultation
Dr Manoj Gupta
MBBS, MS, DNB (GI Surgery). Senior Director & Head, Robotic & Laparoscopic GI Surgery, GI Oncology and Liver Transplant, Yatharth Super Speciality Hospital. 20+ years, 500+ liver transplants.
Patient photographs are shared with consent. Identifying details are withheld for privacy; recovery timelines describe the typical course for this type of surgery.
