Days after the call, the woman, who was suffering from serious kidney ailments, became the institute’s first dual kidney cadaver transplant recipient. (Express)
LAST MONTH, when the family of a 57-year-old woman from Sector 56, Chandigarh, got a call from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), little did they know that their year-long agony would finally come to an end. Days after the call, the woman, who was suffering from serious kidney ailments, became the institute’s first dual kidney cadaver transplant recipient. On March 25, PGI conducted its first dual kidney transplant on one single recipient. Now, after the successful transplant, the woman is almost ready to be discharged.
At PGI’s female surgery ward where the patient is currently admitted, the woman’s husband and son explained the year-long pain and how the cadaver donation saved the woman’s life. “There came a time when we thought everything was over. We were worried for her. But, then a call from the PGI doctors changed everything…my mother is recovering now. We are now waiting for the day when we will go home,” said the 28-year-son, who works at a telecom company in Mohali.
According to the family, the problem began in January last year. “Initially, my mother had breathing problems and later we came to know that she was suffering from kidney ailments…the difficult time was when we were informed that one of her kidneys was 95 per cent gone and the second kidney did not exist since birth,” said the son.
In March 2017, the family registered details of the patient with the institute’s transplant programme. On March 25 this year, the transplant was conducted after the family of a 54-year-old brain-dead patient from Punjab agreed to donate his organs. Both his kidneys were transplanted on the woman.
Last month, when the patient was brought to hospital, she was number five on the transplant waiting list. “The first four patients couldn’t get the organs because of some problem or the other and then doctors decided that my mother was the best suitable recipient. The doctors told us after the transplant that my mother will be fine for at least 10 years now. We didn’t waste this opportunity and agreed to it,” said the son.
Before the transplant, the patient had to undergo 149 episodes of dialysis. When things became difficult, the son said he had even approached the doctors secretly to donate his own kidney to her mother. “But, doctors went to seek my mother’s permission and she said no. Apparently, she was scared that I would suffer a problem after giving my kidney to her,” he said.
After seeing the gesture of the donor family of donating the organs, the son has also been inspired to pledge his own organs. “I was not aware about cadaver donation. But, the decision of the donor’s family saved my mother’s life. Now, I too have decided to pledge my organs,” he asserted.
Dr Ashish Sharma, head of the Department of Renal Transplant at PGI, told Chandigarh Newsline that this case was the first dual kidney transplant on one patient at the institute. “The patient continues to remain admitted at the institute. She is doing well after the transplant,” he said, adding, “The dual kidney transplant is difficult because many difficulties are involved. But, it was successfully conducted.”