Liver Transported from Mumbai to Pune in Under Two Hours for Life-Saving Transplant
Liver Transported from Mumbai to Pune in Under Two Hours for Life-Saving Transplant
Pune: A liver from a brain-dead donor in Mumbai was successfully transported to Pune in under two hours using a green corridor, enabling a life-saving transplant for a 57-year-old patient. The operation took place on the morning of January 26, coinciding with Republic Day celebrations, with the organ transport route passing through areas where flag-hoisting ceremonies were underway.
Dr. Aarti Gokhale, coordinator of the Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre (ZTCC) in Pune, stated that the donor was a 63-year-old man from a private hospital in Girgaon, Mumbai. The recipient, a Pune resident, had been on the transplant waitlist since September 2023 due to chronic liver disease.
On January 25, the transplant team received a request to transport the liver to DPU Super Speciality Hospital in Pimpri, Pune, for a critically ill patient. Responding swiftly, the team reached Mumbai at 3 AM on January 26. Following a four-hour retrieval surgery, the organ had to be transported urgently to ensure its viability.
Despite Republic Day-related traffic challenges, a well-coordinated green corridor facilitated the seamless transport of the liver, which reached Pune in record time. Maharashtra police and the traffic department worked in coordination to clear the route for the medical team.
The transplant, led by Dr. Vrishali Patil, head of multi-organ transplant and HPB surgery at DPU Super Speciality Hospital, and performed by Dr. Manoj Dongare, was particularly complex. The recipient’s deteriorating health posed significant surgical risks, including severe debilitation, excessive fluid buildup, high blood pressure, and an abdominal infection. Additionally, the donor’s advanced age presented complications due to fragile blood vessels.
Despite these challenges, the surgery was successfully completed, offering the recipient a renewed chance at life. The timely transport of the organ played a critical role in making the transplant possible, ensuring that the liver reached the hospital just as the patient was being prepped for surgery.
