Bhubaneswar: For the second time in nine months, multiple organs retrieved from a brain dead patient at the SUM Ultimate Medicare (SUMUM), a quaternary care hospital here, were flown to other cities on Monday for transplantation providing a new lease of life to two critical patients.
The liver and heart were retrieved from Krushna Chandra Mahabhoi, a CRPF jawan, who was pronounced brain dead in the hospital on March 23 night.
The 48-year-old patient, who had suffered kidney failure and was on dialysis, was admitted into the hospital on March 20 and was undergoing treatment in the ICU, hospital sources said.
His condition deteriorated subsequently leading to subdural haemorrhage. The treating team conducted an Apnea test on Sunday morning which confirmed he was brain dead.
The family members of the patient then decided to donate his organs and informed the hospital authorities accordingly.
The hospital quickly got in touch with the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) in this connection following which the information reached the Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) and National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO).
When the organ viability was tested the patient’s liver and heart were found to be in good condition for transplantation.
As per the allocation of organs made by NOTTO the liver was taken to Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre at Mumbai for transplantation on a patient while the heart was flown to Kolkata for transplantation on another patient under treatment at the Medica Superspeciality Hospital there.
Two medical teams from the two metros arrived in Bhubaneswar on Monday to retrieve the organs in the presence of surgeons of SUMUM. The local police arranged to create a green corridor from the hospital to the Biju Patnaik International Airport for smooth transport of the retrieved organs to the two cities.
Dr. Swetapadma Dash, Chief Executive Officer of SUMUM, said it was the second time that multiple organs had been harvested from a brain dead patient in the hospital for transplantation elsewhere. The liver, lungs and kidneys of a brain dead patient were harvested in the hospital on June 24 last year and taken to three different cities for transplantation. “Last time the heart could not be utilized as the concerned hospital failed to take it. But this time the heart was flown out for the first time.”
“SUMUM’s commitment to transform lives is evident from this effort and we will put in a lot of efforts to ensure that it goes on,” she said.
SOTTO sources said though other organs had been sent out of Odisha, it was for the first time that a heart was taken out for transplantation.
“At the same time, we are thankful to the family members of the patient who selflessly decided to donate the organs which has inspired all of us. As the country was celebrating holi, this selfless act has put a lot of colour in the lives of two other families,” she said.
SUMUM has been consciously trying to popularize the concept of organ donation round the year, Dr. Dash said adding the hospital had organised ‘Angadan Mahotsav’ in August last with staff members enacting ‘Life after Death’ – a street corner play to create awareness about organ donation among the public.
The harvesting of the organs was done under the supervision of Dr. Tapas Behera, Consultant Nephrologist and Dr. Banambar Ray, Head of Critical Care department, Dr. Dash said while thanking the consultants and government agencies for their unwavering support to this cause.
“Retrieving the organs from the patient was difficult but we are confident that the recipients of the organs will benefit,” Dr. Ray said.