Bihar doc undergoes dual organ transplant

Dr Sanjiv Kumar Sinha (59), an orthopaedic from Bihar, had been waiting long enough for a liver transplant, but he was in for a rude shock when he was diagnosed with renal failure.

It was only after he underwent a rare combined dual organ transplant procedure in the City that he regained his health.

Speaking at a press conference here on Monday, Dr Sinha, who practises at the Government Hospital, Bhagalpur, Bihar, said that he has been a diabetic for the past 25 years and attributed his organ failures to the chronic diabetes.

“It was in November 2012 that I experienced breathlessness and sought medical support. I was told that my liver was damaged and a long wait for the transplant made it hard for my kidneys,” he said.

Dr Sinha had approached many hospitals in Delhi and he was referred to the BGS Hospital in the City. After a six-month wait, he got an organ from a cadaver.

He then underwent a 13-hour transplant procedure, which was performed by anaesthetists, transplant experts, an organ retrieval and transplant team and other experts.

Dr Rajiv Lochan, multi-organ transplant surgeon, explained that it was a case of multi-organ failure and that there was much complexity and risk involved.

“First, it was the liver that had to be transplanted and later under the effect of the same anaesthesia, the kidneys were transplanted,” he said, adding that post-operative care was crucial and it had to be ensured that there were experts working round the clock.

Kaiser Raja, Hepatologist, BGS Global Hospital, said:“Since it was two transplants at once, there was a high risk of infection. We had to minimise the bleeding as well.”