In a first, double lung transplant performed on Covid-19 patient in Hyderabad
Sep 11, 2020
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 11 : In a first of its kind procedure in India, doctors at a private hospital in Hyderabad successfully performed double lung transplant surgery on a Covid-19 patient.
The team of doctors was led by Dr Sandeep Attawar, considered a pioneer in heart and lung transplant surgeries in India.
Rizwan (Monu), a 32-year-old patient from Chandigarh was suffering from sarcoidosis that affected his lungs significantly, leading to fibrosis of the lungs.
According to the doctors, the condition of the patient deteriorated rapidly and a double lung transplant was the only permanent option for cure.
The situation worsened when the patient contracted coronavirus while awaiting for his double lung transplant. This worsened matters as it increased his oxygen requirement from 15 liters/minute to 50 liters/minute for the past 8 weeks.
Speaking to ANI, Rizwan (Monu) said, "I am very thankful to God for giving a second life. I thank the family who donated the organ, Medical doctors and supporters that make the transplant successful."
"The patient was a severe case of lung sarcoidosis, and Covid-19 virus only complicated the precarious lung condition. Fortunately, a match to his lungs was found in a person declared brain dead in Kolkata, and the harvested lungs were airlifted to Hyderabad to save the life of the patient," Dr Sandeep Attawar, Thoracic Organ Transplantation Surgeon, told ANI.
"The procedure was complex and had little scope for errors, and only a timely transplant of lungs helped save the patient. What is more important is that good outcomes are difficult to achieve as these patients are extremely sick, undernourished and bedridden before the transplant. Post-discharge, he will need close monitoring, bio bubble environment and careful drug control for six weeks at least," he added.
