Pune: Organ Transplant Saves Three Lives Following Donation from Brain-Dead Patient
Pune, 24th September 2024: Three patients received a new lease on life thanks to a remarkable organ donation from a 24-year-old brain-dead woman at the Command Hospital in Pune. The generous donor’s kidneys and liver were successfully transplanted, with one kidney and the liver airlifted to the Army Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi.
The operation unfolded swiftly on Sunday when an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 Globemaster was dispatched to facilitate the urgent transport of the organs. “At short notice, an IAF C-17 Globemaster took off from the Hindon airbase in Delhi with a team of medical specialists from the Army Research and Referral Hospital,” the IAF reported on their official X account. “A green air corridor was established for the aircraft, allowing for the rapid transfer of life-saving organs from Pune to Delhi.”
The donor was the daughter of a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in the Indian Army. She sustained severe injuries when a tree branch fell on her on September 17 in Pimple Gurav. Initially treated at a private hospital, she was transferred to the Command Hospital on the night of September 19. “After conducting thorough tests, we confirmed that the patient was brain dead. Our counselors spoke with the family about organ donation, and upon their consent, we learned that there was a need for a kidney and liver at the Army Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi, while another kidney was needed at our hospital,” a senior officer from the Command Hospital stated.
Following the identification of the urgent needs, the Army Research and Referral Hospital contacted the IAF for assistance in airlifting the organs from Pune. “A team of eight, including two transplant surgeons and paramedics, flew on the C-17 Globemaster and arrived in Pune at 10:45 AM. Our team performed the organ retrieval surgeries within three hours,” the officer added.
To facilitate the transfer, a green corridor was established in Pune, ensuring a swift and secure journey for the organs to the airport. “The aircraft took off from Pune around 3 PM and reached Delhi in one hour and 50 minutes. The doctors at the Army Research and Referral Hospital successfully transplanted the liver into a retired soldier, while one kidney was transplanted into the wife of a serving soldier by midnight,” the officer confirmed.
The second kidney was transplanted at the Command Hospital in Pune to the father of a serving soldier. “All three patients are currently in stable condition and are under close observation,” the officer concluded.
