A first: Two kidney transplants in IGMC

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 12 

Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and Hospital today termed the  kidney transplant performed  on two patients for the first time in the state successful. The surgeries were performed by a joint team of doctors, led by Dr Virender Bansal, chief transplant surgeon from AIIMS, Delhi, on Monday. After the initial success, Dr Janak Raj, Medical Superintendent, IGMC, told The Tribune that they had planned  three more renal  transplants in September. 

Though it may take the IGMC a year to perform it on its own, it has brought a big relief to kidney patients who otherwise had to go to the PGI or AIIMS, said IGMC doctors. 

All four patients - two donors and two recipients - were recuperating and responding well to the post-transplant treatment. The patients had to take medicine lifelong, but they could lead a normal life, he added.  

Dr Janak Raj said a 54-year-old mother from Kotli  Mandi donated her kidney to her 31-year old son. In the second case, a 57-year-old father from Rohru  donated his kidney to his 41-year-old daughter. 

The joint team had Dr Virender Bansal,  Dr Sanjay Kumar  Aggarwal, nephrologist, and Dr Raageshwari Subramanyam, head of the department of anaesthesia, AIIMS. Two nephrologists, two urologists and  Dr Surinder Singh Sodi, head, anaesthesia department  from the IGMC, also participated in the surgeries. 

 The cost of the kidney transplant was Rs 7 lakh, but the IGMC bore the cost in both cases  as it was a promotional  offer,  said Dr Janak Raj. “We will have three more transplants in September as well and we thank  Dr Sudhir Mehta, head of cardiothoracic department, for his assistance”, he added. 

He said AIIMS would continue to assist the IGMC for a year.  The patients need not go out now.