Green corridors help success rate of organ transplants

Healthcare workers in India consider improvements in organ transplant technology and access to expertise are factors enhancing the success rates and quality of life of the recipient patient.

This together with the creation of green corridors which are dedicated roads with manually operated traffic signals between the hospitals harvesting the organ and the transplant centres would be the way forward in efficient and time-bound processes for organ transportation.

Hospitals like Fortis have gone a step forward to consider drones for speedy transport of organs particularly the heart.

 ''A brain dead person donating the organ can give a new lease of life to 10 to 12 people. This provides a new lease of life to the needy patient and the generous donor continues to live through another person.

''Recent advancements in transplant technology, surgical skills, immunosuppressive therapies, have increased the success rates and quality of life,'' Dr Amit Langote, consultant, nephrology, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai told Pharmabiz in an email.

Organs are also airlifted on a time-bound basis but road travel to the hospital premises is inevitable. According to a media report, Dr Anvay Mulay, head, cardiac transplant team, Fortis Hospital, is in discussions with IIT Mumbai for this. Related consents from the police and airport authorities were also need for the project to be implemented.

On the occasion of the Organ Donation Day observed on 13 August, the effort is to create a registry of donors to offer heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and pancreas in case of brain death and tissues like corneas, heart valves, skin, bones etc. in case of natural death.

''There is an increased need to create awareness and educate the public on deceased organ donation. Misconceptions and doubts continue that organs should not be donated for various religious and other reasons. The concept of 'Brain Death' must be explained to the public. We need to create a sustained programme of education about organ donation through media, government agencies, NGOs and social groups. Also, various interactive activities on organ donation could be organised. The medical fraternity should speak to their patients and encourage them to register as organ donors,'' said Dr Langote.

 ''Creation of green corridors facilitates organ transport as time is a crucial factor for a transplant. This is because a heart can have a survival rate of four hours. Narayana Health has performed the highest number of transplants in the country and the maximum number of heart transplants. Our facility has both the expertise and the infrastructure to perform the same'', stated Dr Devi Shetty, founder-chairman, Narayana Hrudayalaya Group of Hospitals.

Another condition which warrants organ transplant is liver cancer cases. ''In terms of liver transplantation, patients with early liver cancer suffer liver damage. Usually 90 per cent of liver cancer occur in patients with liver cirrhosis. We find these patients return to normal life and increased life span after transplantation,'' said Dr Basant Mahadevappa, consultant hepatobiliary surgery and liver transplantation, HCG Cancer Centre.