LIVES WE'VE TOUCHED

Master Owais Shaikh

Little miracles happen everywhere.

Master Owais Sheikh, 3-year-old, otherwise healthy boy was born in a family of doctors. Due to his continuous tantrums initially, family thought him to be very moody and irritable child. These were ignored by the family members at first but latter further investigations led to the diagnosis of vascular malformation in liver, Abernethy malformation. 

In this disorder blood flows directly from intestine to heart bypassing the liver. Hence the toxic metabolites are not filtered in the liver. These metabolites reach the brain and cause hepatic encephalopathy. If the treatment is delayed, these children develop permanent damage to their brain. The only available treatment option for this disease is a timely liver transplant.

Though the parents were willing for organ donation for their son but none of them were suitable match. In such a situation he underwent a swap liver transplant. (A swap liver transplant involves exchange of donated liver between two families where the family member can’t donate to their own family member but can donate to the second family and vice versa)

Owais is completely cured of his disease and is growing is a happy and a lively child.