Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Jul 4: Friday July 3 was a historic day for Mangaluru as the first ever cadaveric transplantation in coastal Karnataka region was done at AJ Hospital here. This was possible as the family of Leena Binoy decided to donate her organs after she was declared brain dead following an accident on July 1.
Addressing a press meet here on Saturday July 4 to speak in detail about this landmark achievement, Dr Prashanth Marla, urologist and transplant surgeon said, "In India, there is a need for 25,000 kidney transplantations per year, but only 3,000 transplants are done. In western countries transplation is more common but in India it is still gaining familiarity.
"Tamil Nadu has done the most number of cadaveric transplants in India. In Karnataka, 140 cadaveric transplants have been done so far, but this is the first cadaveric transplant in coastal Karnataka, done at AJ Hospital. People are not much aware of this, hence this press meet is being held to create public awareness. People need to know that a brain dead patient can save the lives of at least four persons," he added.
Dr Sushanth Kumar said, "Kidney transplantation is done at the end stage of renal failure. Basically it is done in two ways - when the donor is alive, and two, when the donor is brain dead. There is not much awareness on organ donation. In Karnataka, Bengaluru was first to do cadaveric transplantation, and now in coastal Karnataka, Mangaluru is first. This will help many people.
"Major hospitals in the city have empaneled with zonal co-ordination committee of Karnataka (ZCCK). Only empaneled hospitals can perform this and are eligible to go for organ retrieval. Among them is AJ Hospital. A lot of medical procedure is involved in
cadaveric transplatation. Family has to be motivated, offered counseling and family has to agree," he said.
"Once the family agrees, the recipient has to be identified as per the list of ZCKK. The waiting name in the list will get the opportunity. A lot of medical tests have to be performed before the transplantation. Here the time is very very short, moreover the kidney should match," he added.
He also said that the recipient of Leena's kidney was undergoing dialysis from the past one year. Without divulging details, he said that the patient is from Udupi.
"We are making efforts to have a separate west zone center under ZCKK. This will help people of this region," he added.
Dr Marla said that awareness about organ donation was created especially after Jeevan Fernandes case in April, where his organs were transported to Bengaluru for the first time in Mangaluru by creating a green corridor. "Across Karnataka, 140 cadaveric transplantations have been done and among them, 40 have been this year alone," he added.
Nephrologist Dr Sushanth Kumar, transplant surgeons Dr S P Shenoy, and Dr Pritham Sharma were present.