SSH completes 50 kidney transplants

NAGPUR: Even as the Super Specialty Hospital (SSH) at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) completed fifty kidney transplants (both live and cadaver) this week, the college is also preparing to start liver and heart transplants. It may take six months or so to start these new treatment facilities at the SSH.


GMCH dean Dr Sajal Mitra on Saturday said that it was a matter of pride for the college to complete 50 kidney transplants in three years in a government set up.

The kidney transplant was being done at only two other colleges in the state and that too in Mumbai. GMCH Nagpur is the only college outside Mumbai doing the transplants. “Though it is too early to commit anything, the college is also preparing itself for starting liver and heart transplants in the SSH. There are two ways to make this happen. Either set up a new state of the art transplantation centre where all types of transplants can be performed or create separate departments for the two specialities and start the surgeries. The first option is an expensive one. But we are trying to weigh possibilities,” said Dr Mitra.

Dr Charulata Bawankule, professor and head of nephrology, told TOI that most of the donors were women. Of the 35 female donors, 26 were mothers, six were wives and three were sisters, while the maximum recipients (40) were men and only ten were women. The youngest recipient was 15 years old. Of the total 50 transplants, 45 were ‘live’ and the remaining five were ‘cadaveric or brain-dead’. The fiftieth patient, 26-year-old Amit Wahane was given a kidney by his mother. He was on dialysis for the last six months.

“Government gives Rs 2.5 lakh for transplant which includes Rs 1.5 lakh for surgery and Rs 1 lakh for post-surgery medication for a year under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojna. Of the 50 procedures, 39 were done under the scheme and only 11 were done through private payments,” said Bawankule.

The surgery team, led by Dr Sanjay Kolte, honorary uro-surgeon at SSH, included Dr Dhananjay Selokar, Dr Jayant Nikose, Dr Avinash Rinait and Dr Nikit Jain. The nephrology team led by Dr Bawankule included Dr Sameer Choubey, honorary professor, Dr Piyush Kimmatkar and Dr Vandana Admane. The anaesthesia team led by Dr Vijay Shrotey, professor and head, comprised Dr Pankaj Bhopdey, Dr Yogesh Dhawad, Dr Ashutosh Jaiswal and Dr Abhay Ganar. Mehraz Sheikh was the transplant coordinator.


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