Chandigarh PGIMER conducts successful kidney transplant during lockdown, patients discharged

CHANDIGARH: Two recipients who got a fresh lease of life after their successful kidney transplant conducted during Lockdown were discharged from PGIMER on Thursday.
“This gift to us is something we couldn’t buy or make. It’s just that – a gift of life. We could not have been luckier. There are no words to convey our thanks to the donor family,” shared the recipients in unison during their discharge from PGIMER.
The transplant surgery for both the kidney transplants was conducted on May 16 following the compassionate consent of organ donation by the benevolent donor family of deceased Naresh Kumar, 50 years, from Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Post-transplant, both the recipients were kept under observation and were discharged today after their successful recovery.
Prof Ashish Sharma, Head, Department of Renal Transplant Surgery, who spearheaded the procedure, stated, “There were challenges involved in doing transplant as the whole region was in a lockdown mode and all elective transplant surgery had been put on hold. Special precautions were taken to proceed with the transplant. The deceased donor as well as both recipients were tested and confirmed to be negative for Covid-19.”
Detailing further about the case, Prof. Sharma said, “In the post-op period, the staff was rostered in such a way that only limited healthcare workers were in contact with both the recipients and no visitors were allowed. Both patients have now recovered after three weeks and were ready to be discharged. These recipients were on dialysis for the last three years and remaining on dialysis also carries risk of contracting coronavirus as they need to travel to dialysis centers at least twice a week.”
Prof A.K.Gupta, Medical Superintendent cum Head, Department of Hospital Administration, PGIMER, describing the scenario during Lock-down, stated, “PGIMER being overwhelmed with Covid positive patients, introducing those waiting to receive an organ to this environment would not have been ideal and hence, the halt in organ transplant procedures since Lockdown 1.0 here in PGIMER, the last one being on 14th March.”
Expressing his gratitude to the donor family, Prof. Gupta further added, “But even in the thick of Covid-19, there are families who leave you spellbound with their magnanimity as the family of Donor Naresh Kumar from Shimla, who displayed exemplary benevolence by proactively consenting for the organ donation of their deceased family member. With their selfless gesture, they became instrumental in saving the lives of two terminally ill renal failure patients as PGIMER conducted its first deceased organ transplant during the lockdown.”
A resident of Shimla, Naresh Kumar, 50 years, was going for work on May 6 when he suffered grievous head injury in an accidental fall from height. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital from where he was referred to PGIMER and was admitted on May 7.
Since Naresh Kumar had received fatal head injury, it became evident that his chances of survival were extremely bleak. But the doctors at PGIMER left no stone unturned. However, Naresh Kumar’s ten days’ struggle between life and death came to an end on May 15 and he was declared brain dead after following the protocols of THOTA.
“Everything came crashing down ! He went too soon!” recalled heart- broken son of donor Naresh Kumar. “My father was a ‘giving person’ who always believed in doing good for others. He was known for his large-heartedness. The idea of having a chance to save someone else’s life through organ donation appealed to us. My father definitely would have wanted someone’s father, husband, wife, mother, daughter, or son to have more time to spend with their loved ones,” said Puneet while trying to come to terms with reality.
After the family’s consent, the doctors harvested the kidneys for transplantation in the in-waiting patients here in PGIMER, which enabled two terminally ill renal failure patients to have a second lease of life.”
“It was very painful to let him go,” shared Puneet. “But someone got a chance to live because of him. In his life, he had cared for so many people. This last gift he made is an everlasting testament to his character.”