A first: PGI all set for lung transplant

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 23

The PGIMER is all set to start a lung transplant facility, becoming the first government institution in the country to offer the aid.

After getting a clearance from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently, the institute has identified 100 patients fit for the transplant. Of the 100 patients, 90 are men. At present, the doctors are looking for potential donors in the form of brain-dead patients.

The institute has nearly 1,000 patients of interstitial lung disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders, who need to undergo lung transplant. “Patients need to be screened for a variety of parameters before they could be chosen for a transplant,” said Dr D Behra, Head, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, PGIMER.

The PGI has performed over 2,500 kidney transplants since 1973, about 3,500 cornea transplants since 1963, six liver transplants since 2011 and a heart transplant in 2013.

Pancreas transplant went awry

The first pancreas transplant was performed recently on a 24-year-old girl. However, she is learnt to have developed complications.

The family members of the patient, who had chosen to take the risk of undergoing transplant after a poor quality of life since the age of 5, are now more in agony.

 “There is no clarity as to what will happen to her now. We have been told to wait here for two more months, but we do not know whether she will survive or not, as her pancreas have possibly been removed,” said the patient’s cousin, Ramesh.

PGI doctors, meanwhile, refused to comment.

The girl is being administered one injection of insulin every day as her pancreas are not working.