Could a New Dissolvable Stent Make Liver Treatment Easier?

Written By Aditya Mendonca, Executive Editor, TheGoodCity.in.

Your liver works around the clock, often without telling you when something is wrong. So how much do we really know about liver health? As a result, could medical innovation make treatment more accessible to everyone?

However, I spoke with Dr. Sonal Asthana in Bengaluru about liver transplant costs and affordability.

We also spoke about fatty liver disease, funding for paediatric liver transplants, organ donation and the bigger question of how India can build a healthcare system that combines medical excellence with affordability.

Watch the full conversation:

India, In Conversation with Dr. Sonal Asthana

The organ that does not complain

The liver is remarkably resilient, and liver disease can develop without obvious symptoms in its early stages. Fatty liver disease, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is an important reason to pay attention to liver health even when you feel well.

In our conversation, Dr. Asthana explains why early assessment matters and discusses the potential of the Asthana Stent, a dissolvable bile duct implant developed over several years.

We also explore the story of a paediatric liver care programme that, as discussed in the episode, has helped more than 250 children and raised nearly ₹13 crore.

For me, the bigger question is this: what good is medical innovation if the people who need it cannot afford it?

That question runs through our conversation, from transplant funding and organ donation to the future of healthcare in India.

In this conversation

• Liver transplant costs and access to treatment in India
• Fatty liver disease, MASLD and NASH
• The dissolvable Asthana Stent and medical innovation
• Paediatric liver transplants and funding
• Organ donation and the future of Indian healthcare

Watch: India, In Conversation with Dr. Sonal Asthana

Explore more podcasts from The Good City.

The host first interviewed the Integrated Liver Care team for the 2019 #InnovateBengaluru book: https://innovationsoftheworld.com/mak…

For further information on liver health, visit the World Health Organization.

Filmed by: Raintree Media Originals

Filming location: Qubix HiFi, Museum Road, Bengaluru — @QubixHiFi