Organs retrieved from brain dead patients airlifted from Chandigarh to Delhi

Chandigarh: The organs of two brain dead patients were airlifted from Chandigarh to the national capital on three different flights from the city to their recipients on Thursday.

The Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) retrived two hearts and a liver from the brain dead patients.

Prof Anil K Gupta, Medical Superintendent and Head of PGIMER's hospital administration said, this is the first time that three organs have been sent on a single day from the hospital.

A dedicated green corridor were established thrice, within five hours, by the city administration to take the organs from the hospital to the airport, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation's (NOTTO) nodal officer Dr Vipin Koushal said.

Gupta said Jagat Singh (45), a resident of Himachal Pradesh's Sirmour district was grievously injured after falling and was brought to PGIMER on April 2.

He was subsequently declared as brain dead and his heart, liver, kidneys and corneas were harvested, he said.

His heart was allocated to AIIMS and his liver to G B Pant Hospital in Delhi. The organs were sent to the airport through green corridors at 6:38 am and 8:30 am respectively.

Similarly, Nancy Sharma (35) from Himachal Pradesh's Paonta Sahib was admitted here and was declared brain dead on April 5, Gupta said, adding her heart, kidneys and corneas were harvested too.

Nancy's heart was allocated to Fortis Noida and was sent at 11:22 AM from here, he said.

"The bereaved families did not let these tragic deaths go in vain and consented for organ donation when the transplant coordinators raised the matter with them," the medical superintendent said, adding, subsequently, the organs were retrieved.

He said as there was no matching recipients for the hearts and liver in the hospital, the Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) at PGIMER had to approach NOTTO for recipients .

The retrieved kidneys and corneas were used for matching recipients at PGIMER, Gupta said.

"Though there was huge time crunch but we ensured that the sentiments of the family are honoured. With NOTTO's quick intervention, the organs were airlifted as soon as they were retrieved," Koushal said.

(With PTI inputs)