New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS): Travelling from one country to another seeking treatment for his liver cancer, 63-year-old Abdul Karim Darvesh, who served an air marshal during Saddam Hussein's reign, got a new lease of life after undergoing a liver transplant in a Delhi hospital.

Darvesh had a liver transplant at Delhi's B.L. Kapur Super Speciality Hospital July 8. According to doctors, Darvesh's family had lost hope as 90 percent of his liver was damaged.

"Darvesh's investigation and CT scan confirmed that he was harbouring a cancer with cirrhosis of liver. He required an immediate liver transplant from a compatible donor. Anmar Abdul Karim, Darvesh's eldest son, was suitable for the liver donation," said Sanjay Singh Negi, director, liver transplantation surgery.

The success rate of such transplants are slim, believe experts.

"Such surgeries are associated with risk such as bleeding, rejection of the liver by the donor and even death. The surgery was successful," Negi said.

According to the doctors, the surgery lasted 22 hours and a team of seven doctors had to work in shifts.

"The surgery involved taking out the right lobe of the liver from the donor and implanting it in the recipient," the doctor said.

Both father and son are recovering smoothly.