Chandigarh, Jan 24 (NationPress) In the face of severe cold, relentless rain, and powerful winds, the transplant teams from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) demonstrated unparalleled commitment, ensuring that the invaluable gift of life reached two recipients without delay.

In an extraordinary feat of medical prowess, the hospital successfully retrieved and transplanted essential organs from AIIMS Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, all while navigating particularly difficult circumstances and strict time limitations.

Raghu Paswan’s liver, alongside one kidney and pancreas, was allocated to PGIMER in Chandigarh. Simultaneously, one kidney went to AIIMS in New Delhi, the heart to the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) in New Delhi, and the lungs to Apollo Hospital in Chennai, extending the donor’s legacy of life throughout various regions of the nation.

From a tragic loss, a legacy of life emerged. Paswan, 42, was admitted to AIIMS Rishikesh on January 16 after suffering critical injuries from a fall from a two-story building. He endured severe traumatic brain injury and, despite all medical efforts, was ultimately declared brain dead.

Amid profound sorrow, the family made the noble choice to donate his organs, providing hope and renewed life to numerous patients awaiting transplants nationwide.

Expressing his gratitude, PGIMER Director Prof Vivek Lal stated, “This organ donation serves as a powerful testament to the resilience of humanity in the face of loss. Despite severe weather conditions, significant distances, and immense time constraints, our teams were determined to ensure that no organ and no life would be lost due to logistical hurdles.”

“The altruistic choice of the donor’s family, coupled with exceptional collaboration across institutions, has bestowed multiple patients with a fresh chance at life and upheld the hopes of many more,” he remarked.

Following this commendable decision, organ allocation adhered strictly to the guidelines set forth by the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOA), 1994, and established national allocation protocols, facilitated through the coordinated efforts of NOTTO and ROTTO (North), ensuring transparency, fairness, and promptness, PGIMER conveyed in a statement.

Addressing the surgical and logistical challenges, Prof L. Kaman, Head of the Department of General Surgery at PGIMER, explained, “A dedicated liver transplant team, including Dr. Swapnesh Kumar Sahu and Dr. Shibojit, left Chandigarh at 9 p.m. on January 22 for AIIMS Rishikesh, alongside a pancreas transplant team consisting of Dr. Shivakumar Patil and Dr. Praneeth. After about six hours of continuous travel, they arrived at AIIMS Rishikesh at 3 a.m. and were immediately directed to the operation theatre for preparation and coordination.”

The organ retrieval process commenced at 9 a.m. and was successfully concluded by 12 noon, after which a ‘green corridor’ was established to guarantee timely transportation of the liver graft.

The teams then embarked on their return journey, arriving at PGIMER in Chandigarh by 3 p.m., where they went straight to the operation theatre for transplantation.

Remarkably, this marked the first instance of a liver being transported by road from AIIMS Rishikesh to PGIMER under adverse weather conditions to reduce ischaemia time, Prof Kaman noted.

Highlighting the impact on recipients, Prof Ashish Sharma, Head of the Renal Transplant Department at PGIMER, mentioned, “There are only a limited number of pancreas transplant programs in the country, yet a significant number of patients suffer from diabetes and kidney failure.”

The pancreas was transplanted into a 28-year-old woman who had been battling diabetes and had relied on multiple daily insulin injections since she was eight years old. She is now exhibiting clear signs of recovery.

“We have successfully transported nearly ten such organs from various hospitals across Northern India, including AIIMS Rishikesh, AIIMS Jodhpur, and Sir Gangaram Hospital in New Delhi, in addition to those retrieved from hospitals in the tricity — Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali,” he added.

Coordinating the intricate logistics across multiple states, Dr. (Maj) RPS Bhogal, Associate Professor in the Department of Hospital Administration at PGIMER, stated, “This mission was a true test of real-time coordination under extreme pressure.”