For the First Time in India & Only Second Time in the World, an Organ Recipient Also Donated an Organ!

When one woman in Pune was declared brain-dead, her liver was transplanted to save another patient’s life. While incredibly noble, this by itself isn’t out-of-the-ordinary; as organ transplants regularly take place across the world. What makes this particular case unusual is that the woman in question herself had received a kidney two years ago through a transplant thus making this the first time such an operation has successfully been conducted in India and the second time it has been conducted across the world.

The 42-year-old woman who is based out of Mumbai passed away as a result of intracranial bleeding. But there are a few key reasons why generally such transplants don’t take place in the medical world. For one, people who already been received organs, tend not to be suitable donors themselves as most of the times their own organs cannot be harvested. This is because of the medication they have to take that ends up making their organs unfit for harvesting in the long run.

According to medical professionals, such a transplant could potentially change the entire field and create new avenues for both organ donors and recipients.

Image for representation. Photo source: Wikimedia

Speaking to the Times of India, professor Vimal Bhandari, director of National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), said, “Such a case has never been reported before. This is perhaps the first case in India where a donor who was herself a kidney recipient donated her liver that gave a new lease of life to another needy patient.”

You may also like: Donate Life: What You Need To Know About Organ Donation in India

In India despite there being the need, not too many step forward to become donors themselves due to the prevalence of superstitions among other reasons. It has been reported nearly 5 lakh people in the country die every year due to scarcity of organs. A breakthrough like this is sure to save thousands of lives.

You can pledge to be a donor here

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