Outcome of Living Donor Liver Transplantation at a Transplant Center in Nepal

Introduction

Liver transplantation represents a life-saving intervention for patients with end-stage liver disease. In resource-limited settings like Nepal, establishing such programs faces significant hurdles, including infrastructure, expertise, and costs. KIST Medical College and Teaching Hospital initiated its living donor liver transplantation program in 2023, becoming one of the pioneering centers in the country. This retrospective observational case series documents the early clinical experiences and outcomes of 13 LDLT cases performed between 2023 and 2025 by a primarily national team with targeted collaboration from Apollo Hospitals, India, highlighting the feasibility of domestic LDLT to improve access and reduce overseas referrals.