Bhubaneswar: In a first in Odisha's medical history, multiple organs retrieved from a brain-dead at the SUM Ultimate Medicare (SUMUM) here on Saturday were rushed to three different cities for transplantation providing a new lease of life to four critical patients.
In an exceptional achievement, multiple organs, including two kidneys, two lungs and the liver were retrieved from Prasenjit Mohanty (43), the brain-dead, with the support and approval of his family while excellent coordination through government agencies enabled the organs to be flown to two private hospitals in New Delhi and Kolkata for transplantation, Swetapadma Dash, Chief Executive Officer of SUMUM, said on Sunday.
Of the two kidneys, one was transplanted on a waiting patient at SUMUM on Saturday night while another was taken to the SCB Medical College Hospital at Cuttack for transplantation on another patient.
The two lungs were flown to a private hospital in Kolkata to address the critical condition of a 16-year-old boy suffering from paraquat poisoning, who endured a challenging 45-day wait for the organs while being supported by Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The liver was transported to another private healthcare facility in New Delhi providing a life-saving opportunity to another critical patient.
Forty-three-year-old Mohanty, who had suffered a severe head injury after a fall, had been admitted to SUMUM on June 22 and underwent emergency brain surgery, Dr Somnath Prasad Jena, Consultant Neurosurgeon at SUMUM, said.
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“Though his condition somewhat improved following the surgery, it deteriorated subsequently and an Apnea test conducted on June 23 yielded a positive report signifying that the patient was brain dead. A second test was done after six hours which confirmed the earlier report,” Dr Jena said.
Dr Dash said when the family members were informed about the patient’s medical status, they offered to donate his organs as it could help to save the lives of others. “It was a momentous decision and we salute Mrudumanjari Mohapatra, wife of the patient, for her bold decision to donate the organs though there is cultural resistance to such practice in society,” she said.
The hospital alerted the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) and subsequently, information reached the Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) and National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) about the development. Medical teams from Kolkata and New Delhi reached SUMUM on Saturday and a 20-member team comprising surgeons from SUMUM and outstation doctors retrieved the required organs in a procedure that took 4.5 hours.
Mohapatra, the wife of the deceased, who was present at the press conference, said her husband had earlier wished that his organs should be donated. “We also thought if his organs could help save the lives of four other persons, why not go for it,” she said. Dr Dash said the hospital had decided to provide employment to Mohapatra for her bold and selfless decision. “Her decision is a trendsetter and we have to try for a mindset shift in society as regards organ donation,” she said.
Dr Biraj Mohan Mishra, SUMUM’s Chief of Medical Services, also hailed Mohapatra’s gesture while thanking her family members for their support in donating the organs. SUMUM’s team of neurosurgeons and critical care experts, comprising Dr Jena, Dr Vithal Rajnala and Dr Alok Panigrahy, both Critical Care Consultants, played a crucial role in ensuring that the brain-dead patient remained in stable condition making him eligible for organ donation, Dr Prasanta Kumar Panda, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said. The police and local administration played a vital role while providing a green corridor for the two ambulances on their journey to the airport.
