RANCHI: Ailing state education minister Jagarnath Mahato, who is currently admitted at Mahatma Gandhi Research Institute (MGRI) in Chennai and being treated for Covid infection, will soon undergo lung transplantation, doctors at the hospital said on Sunday.
Mahato was airlifted to Chennai on October 19 from a private hospital here after his condition deteriorated. His lungs were extensively damaged after he tested positive for Covid-19 on September 28, the doctors said. Since his condition is critical, he was airlifted by putting him on Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) treatment. A team of medical experts from the Chennai hospital came to Ranchi to assist the doctors here for the shifting. Mahto continues to be admitted at the hospital’s ECMO ICU.
Talking to TOI, clinical director of lung transplant, pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine, MGRI, Chennai, Dr Apar Jindal said, “Mahato is currently admitted at our ECMO ICU and has been tracheostomised and is doing good. Apart from his lungs, all other organs are working fine and his vital parameters are within the normal range. Since his lungs aren’t showing good signs of recovery yet, he has been listed for a transplant and we are awaiting cross-matching for organ allocation.”
According to other doctors at the hospital, the decision for Mahato’s lung transplant was taken after his CT scans and pathological findings did not show any improvement. Mahato’s family members have also given their assent for the transplant, after which the registration was done.
Confirming the development, Mahato’s son Akhilesh, who accompanied his father to Chennai in a special air ambulance, said, “Based on reports and discussions with doctors, we gave our assent for the lung transplant a week ago and the registration process has started.”
According to MGM hospital sources, now that Mahato has been listed for an organ transplant, the doctors are waiting for a brain dead patient whose lungs can cross-match with his so that they can start the process at the earliest.
Notably, Mahato was admitted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) on September 28 itself and was shifted to Medica on October 1 after his condition did not improve.