New Delhi, 10th July 2026: Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, has successfully performed a life-saving liver transplant on Erik Ramsook, a 7-month-old infant of Indo-Trinidadian origin, weighing less than 4 kg and who was suffering from a rare genetic liver disorder.

Erik, whose family traces its roots to Moradiha village in present-day Balrampur district of Uttar Pradesh, was born in Trinidad and Tobago and developed jaundice within weeks of birth. What initially appeared to be prolonged neonatal jaundice gradually progressed to severe liver disease. By the time he arrived in Delhi, he was critically ill with end-stage liver failure, severe malnutrition, fluid accumulation in the abdomen (ascites), and portal hypertension, a complication of advanced liver disease.

The living donor liver transplant was performed within a week of the family's arrival in India by a multidisciplinary team led by Dr. Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director and Senior Paediatric Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist, Apollo Hospitals Group, and Dr. Neerav Goyal, Senior Consultant & Head of Liver Transplant Surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.

Finding a suitable liver donor presented an immediate challenge. Erik's father was initially evaluated but was found unsuitable to donate. His mother then donated a portion of her liver, enabling the life-saving transplant.

Post-transplant genetic evaluation identified a rare TJP2 mutation, an uncommon genetic cause of progressive cholestatic liver disease. Worldwide, only a few dozen children with this condition have undergone a liver transplant, making this an exceptionally rare indication for an infant. Erik was discharged on post-operative day 15 and continues to recover well, showing excellent progress.

Dr. Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director and Senior Paediatric Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, "By the time Erik arrived at our centre, he was critically ill with rapidly progressive chronic liver disease and end-stage liver failure. Given his severe malnutrition and extremely low weight, we had to expedite the evaluation and transplant process. Erik's successful recovery is a testament to timely intervention, multidisciplinary teamwork, and the resilience of a family whose story has come full circle."

Dr. Neerav Goyal, Senior Consultant & Head of Liver Transplant Surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, said, "A TJP2 mutation is an exceptionally rare indication for a liver transplant in an infant. Out of the 645 pediatric liver transplants we have performed at our center, only two have been for this specific genetic mutation. Erik is also only the second child from Trinidad to be successfully transplanted by our surgical team, and his excellent recovery highlights our team's specialized expertise in managing rare pediatric liver disorders."