Himachal achieves first case of organ transplantation

Chandigarh, March 13 (IANS) In a first case of organ transplantation in Himachal Pradesh, a team of the PGI Hospital here retrieved the kidneys of an accident victim from Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda in the hill state and successfully transplanted it here to a terminally-ill renal failure matching recipient.

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Director Surjit Singh said: "We, at PGIMER, are always there for backend support, but the medical colleges and hospitals across the region have to take the first step. We highly commend RPGMC in Tanda for taking this huge initiative.

"This exemplary act by RPGMC will give an impetus to the deceased organ donation programme and save precious lives, otherwise lost due to the lack of organs."

"It was very heartening that ROTTO (North), SOTTO Himachal, PGIMER Chandigarh, Government Medical College in Tanda, the Police Department, the district administrations and airport authorities acted in tandem and unison and together we enabled Himachal to accomplish their first case of organ transplantation," said the Director.

PGIMER Medical Superintendent-cum-Nodal Officer with ROTTO (North) Vipin Koushal said: "It was a race against time. A green corridor was created from Chandigarh to the Government Medical College in Tanda with the collaboration of the police administration from Chandigarh, Mohali, Ropar, Una, and Kangra so that the donated organs could be transported here in PGIMER in the shortest possible time.

"Our whole-hearted appreciation for Mr Shashi from the Kangra airport for his all-out efforts for speedy transport of the blood samples for cross matching which saved us precious time. Sumit from PGIMER's Hospital Administration and Arvind Rana from the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Shimla ensured perfect coordination for the green corridor, making it seamless."

Vishal, 18, a resident of Kangra district, was seriously injured in a road accident on March 10 and was taken to Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in a critical condition.

His condition kept deteriorating due to grievous head injury and despite the best of the efforts by the family and the attending medical team, he succumbed to his injuries and was declared brain dead.

After the brain death declaration, Rakesh Chauhan, Associate Professor, Renal Transplant Surgery with Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, who was trained here at the PGIMER, took the initiative and explained the importance of organ donation to the grieving family members.

Braving their own irreparable loss, the family displayed exemplary courage and consented for organ donation.

Nursing Officer Ankesh Kumar was instrumental in getting the consent from the bereaved family.

Within a few hours through the green corridor, containers with kidneys were transported to the PGIMER by a vehicle. The PGIMER team reached back at 9.14 pm completing the entire journey in three hours 40 minutes and proceeded with the transplantation process through the night.

The corneas will be transplanted at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College.

The best matching recipient Pawan Kumar, 39, from Karnal town in Haryana got the second lease of life with the gesture of the donor's family.

The other kidney being shrunk in size was not found to be transplantable, said Ashish Sharma, Head, Department of Renal Transplant Surgery in the PGIMER.