Apollo Hospitals Gives Filipino Twin Brothers a New Lease of Life Through Rare Twin Liver Transplants
Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, has achieved a global milestone by performing life‑saving living donor liver transplants on 23‑month‑old twin brothers from the Philippines – the first paediatric twin liver transplant among the hospital’s 645 paediatric liver transplants to date. The complex back‑to‑back surgeries were led by Dr. Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director & Senior Paediatric Gastroenterologist, and Dr. Neerav Goyal, Senior Consultant & Head of Liver Transplant Surgery, underscoring Apollo’s leadership in advanced paediatric care.
The twins, Tyler and Kelly, were born prematurely weighing 2 kg and 2.4 kg, bringing hope to a family that had earlier experienced the loss of an infant. However, within two weeks of birth, both babies developed persistent jaundice and pale-coloured stools. Evaluation revealed a congenital biliary disorder – Choledochal Cyst Type IVA (a rare birth defect in which the bile ducts become abnormally enlarged, leading to severe liver damage if left untreated), which rapidly progressed to liver failure in both children. Over the following months, the twins endured recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal fluid accumulation, poor growth and repeated hospitalisations. Despite receiving the best possible medical care, their condition continued to worsen, leaving liver transplantation as the only life-saving treatment.
The challenge extended beyond the surgeries. Identifying two suitable living liver donors for siblings requiring transplantation within days of each other is exceptionally rare. While the children’s mother donated a portion of her liver to one twin, their father was medically unfit to donate. The twins’ maternal uncle then volunteered to donate to the second child, making both transplants possible. Throughout the recovery, the father cared for his wife, his brother-in-law and both children during the recovery period.
Mr. Shivakumar Pattabhiraman, Managing Director, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said, “Behind every complex transplant is a family looking for hope. We are humbled that this family travelled from the Philippines and entrusted us with the care of both their children. The successful outcome reflects the strength of our multidisciplinary teams and Apollo’s commitment to delivering advanced, compassionate care for patients facing the most complex medical challenges.”
Dr. Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director, Apollo Hospitals Group and Senior Paediatric Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist, at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said, “Liver transplants in twins are rare and for both children to need a liver transplant at the same time is even rare. Out of 645 paediatric liver transplants performed at Apollo, this is the first set of twins. Both the babies were small and that made the transplants even more challenging. Starting with the first successful liver transplant in India at Apollo Hospital Delhi in 1998 we have now performed very complex transplants – combined liver kidney transplants, transplant in babies weighing 3.5 kg and ABO incompatible transplants (where the blood group of the donor and recipient do not match). Kelly and Tyler are such a powerful example of Born Together, Fought Together and Saved Together.”
Dr. Neerav Goyal, Senior Consultant & Head of Liver Transplant Surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said, “Tyler’s transplant surgery lasted over 15 hours, while Kelly’s lasted more than 13 hours. Both procedures involved complex surgical reconstruction and were successfully completed. The twins have recovered well, with healthy liver function, and continue to do well during follow-up. These transplants highlight the role of timely intervention, unwavering family support and dedicated medical care that has given two young children the opportunity to lead healthy lives.”
Lt. Gen. Dr. Bipin Puri, Director of Medical Services, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said, “This case represents the very best of what modern healthcare can achieve when clinical expertise, advanced technology and multidisciplinary teamwork come together. Successfully performing rare back-to-back living donor liver transplants on twin brothers from the Philippines reflects not only the exceptional capabilities of our transplant programme but also India’s growing leadership in managing some of the world’s most complex medical cases.”
The successful twin liver transplants were made possible by a multidisciplinary team of specialists comprising Dr. Neerav Goyal, Dr. Anupam Sibal, Dr. Arun V., Dr. Aneja, Dr. Raina, Dr. Namit Jerath, Dr. Smita, Dr. Varun M., Dr. Pradeep K., Dr. Rigved G., Dr. Karunesh, Dr. Rohit, Dr. Yaja, Dr. Shreya, along with dedicated nursing and allied healthcare teams, whose seamless coordination and expertise ensured the success of these highly complex procedures.
The case highlights the critical importance of recognising persistent jaundice and pale stools in infants as early warning signs requiring prompt medical evaluation. Early diagnosis of congenital biliary disorders, followed by timely referral to specialised paediatric liver transplant centres, significantly improve long-term survival and quality of life.
