In a first in Odisha’s medical history, multiple organs retrieved from a brain dead patient at the SUM Ultimate Medicare (SUMUM) here on Saturday was rushed to three different cities for transplantation providing a new lease of life to four critical patients.

In an exceptional achievement, multiple organs including two kidneys, two lungs and the liver were retrieved from Prasenjit Mohanty, the brain dead patient, with the support and approval of his family while excellent coordination through government agencies enabled the organs to be flown to two private hospitals in New Delhi and Kolkata for transplantation, Dr. Swetapadma Dash, Chief Executive Officer of SUMUM, told newspersons here on Sunday.

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The police created a green corridor in Bhubaneswar for transporting the organs in two ambulances from the hospital to the Biju Patnaik International Airport from where the same were flown to the two cities accompanied by outstation medical teams.

Of the two kidneys, one was transplanted on a waiting patient at SUMUM last night while another was taken to the S.C.B. Medical College Hospital at Cuttack for transplantation on another patient.

The two lungs were flown to a private hospital at Kolkata to address the critical condition of a 16-year-old boy suffering from paraquat poisoning who endured a challenging 45-day wait for the organs while being supported by ECMO. The liver was transported to another private healthcare facility in New Delhi providing a lifesaving opportunity to another critical patient.

Forty three-year-old Mohanty, who had suffered severe head injury after a fall, had been admitted to SUMUM on June 22 and underwent emergency brain surgery, Dr. Somnath Prasad Jena, Consultant Neurosurgeon at SUMUM said.

“Though his condition somewhat improved following the surgery, it deteriorated subsequently and an Apnea test conducted on June 23 yielded a positive report signifying that the patient was brain dead. A second test was done after six hours which confirmed the earlier report,” Dr. Jena said.

 Dr. Dash said when the family members were informed about the patient’s medical status, they offered to donate his organs as it could help to save the lives of others. “It was a momentous decision and we salute Ms. Mrudumanjari Mohapatra, wife of the patient, for her bold decision to donate the organs though there is cultural resistance to such practice in the society,” she said.

The hospital alerted the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) and subsequently information reached the Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) and National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) about the development.

Medical teams from Kolkata and New Delhi reached SUMUM on Saturday and a 20-member team comprising surgeons from SUMUM and outstation doctors retrieved the required organs in a procedure that took four and half hours.

Ms. Mohapatra, wife of the deceased, who was present at the press conference, said her husband had earlier wished that his organs should be donated. “We also thought if his organs could help save the lives of four other persons, why not go for it,” she said.

Dr. Dash said the hospital had decided to provide employment to Ms. Mohapatra for her bold and selfless decision. “Her decision is a trendsetter and we have to try for mindset shift in the society as regards organ donation,” she said.

Brig (Dr.) Biraj Mohan Mishra, SUMUM’s Chief of Medical Services, also hailed Ms. Mohapatra’s gesture while thanking her family members for their support in donating the organs.

SUMUM’s team of neurosurgeons and critical care experts, comprising Dr. Jena, Dr. Vithal Rajnala and Dr. Alok Panigrahy, both Critical Care Consultants, played a crucial role in ensuring that the brain dead patient remained in stable condition making him eligible for organ donation, Dr. Prasanta Kumar Panda, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said.

The organ retrieval process involved a team of highly skilled doctors including SUMUM’s Dr. Priyabrata Das, Dr. Jitendra Kumar Barad, both Consultant Urologists, Dr. Dipankar Padhiary, Dr. Bhabani Pati and Dr. Jyoti Ranjan Parida, all Consultant Anesthesiologists, along with collaborative teams from S.C.B. Medical College Hospital, Cuttack, Kolkata and New Delhi. “The entire operation was executed with utmost precision and expertise and the SUMUM operation theatre team, ICU team and respective technical teams skillfully supported in the successful execution of the medical procedure, Dr. Panda said.

The police and local administration played a vital role while providing a green corridor for the two ambulances on their journey to the airport, he said.