Nimhans does first organ retrieval 2 years after licence

Two years after the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) received a licence for organ retrieval from State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), better known as Jeevasarthakathe in Karnataka, a young bride became the premier institute’s first organ retrieval case on Friday.

This is significant considering the high number of accident trauma and brain dead patients brought to Nimhans. On an average, Nimhans gets one brain dead patient a week. Around 120 patients come to the neuro-casualty every day, of whom 30-40 are with head injuries.

In the three-hour-long procedure, the 26-year-old brain dead woman’s heart valves were allocated to Narayana Health, kidneys to Sakra Hospital and corneas to state-run Minto Hospital. Her organs will save at least four lives and restore vision in two people.

Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar tweeted a picture of the young woman and said, “It was a big day for the 26-year-old Chaitra but destiny had other plans. She collapsed during her wedding reception at Srinivasapur in Kolar district. She was later declared brain dead at Nimhans. Despite the heartbreaking tragedy, her parents have decided to donate her organs. This is a noble gesture and it should be a role model to everyone. This gesture will save many lives. This is the first organ retrieval at Nimhans.”

Jeevasarthakathe chief transplant coordinator Lijamol Joseph said, “This is the first time that organ retrieval was done in Nimhans. It was given licence to function as a Non-Transplant Organ Retrieval Centre in 2020.”

Nimhans medical superintendent Dr Muralidharan K said organ harvesting is a time and labour-intensive process and that Nimhans has given a representation to the state government on their requirements. “The lady’s family expressed a desire to donate organs so we had to facilitate it to support the family. We are eager to continue with organ retrieval regularly because it will save a lot more lives but we cannot run it with what we have and will need a lot of support in terms of human resources (two anaesthetists, one physician) and four ventilator beds,” he said.

There are 44 ventilator beds and 12 major OTs (operation theatres) in the hospital now. Ventilators are required to maintain the patient’s oxygen saturation in order to keep the organs viable for transplant. To run one ventilator, three nurses are required.

In Chaitra’s case, a backup operation theatre was used for the retrieval but it cannot be used in all future organ retrievals since the emergency OT is needed as a backup for any lifesaving surgery when all major OTs are occupied. Each head injury patient’s surgery takes four to five hours.

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