Pune: Kidney and liver from brain-dead man gives new hope for three patients in city
Pune: Kidney and liver from brain-dead man gives new hope for three patients in city
17 August 2024
Family members of a 51-year-old man from the city, who was declared brain-dead, donated his vital organs to help save the lives of three individuals with terminal illnesses. The patient had suffered from blood clots in the veins surrounding his brain, which caused bleeding on both sides. Despite the doctors’ best efforts, they were unable to save him. Following the family’s consent, his kidneys and liver were successfully transplanted into three patients.
The donor was taken to a private hospital in Baner on August 10 due to severe headaches, which were followed by altered sensorium, a condition that affects mental awareness. Dr. Amit Dhakoji, the head of the neuro surgery department at the private hospital explained, “The patient had clots in the veins surrounding the brain and experienced significant bleeding on both sides (subdural hematoma) as a result of anticoagulants used for the venous clots. His condition worsened the following day, prompting our medical team to perform emergency surgery to relieve pressure in the brain. Despite our best efforts, the patient showed no signs of brain activity. After conducting two sets of brain stem death tests, including an apnea test, he was declared brain-dead on August 13.”
After obtaining consent from the family, the Pune Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre (ZTCC) allocated the donor’s organs based on their waiting list. One kidney was transplanted into a patient at Baner based hospital on August 13, while the second kidney and liver were assigned to two different patients at separate hospitals in the city, with their transplant surgeries also performed on the same day.
Dr. Bhushan Nagarkar, the head of the critical care department of city based hospital, stated, “The team collaborated closely with the patient’s family, providing them with necessary information and support to help them make an informed decision. The family chose to donate his organs, which ultimately saved the lives of three critically ill patients. Managing brain-dead patients presents unique challenges, including the need for hormone replacement to stabilize blood pressure and oxygen levels, ensuring the proper functioning of other vital organs.”
