The first liver transplant of a brain-dead patient was done successfully at Surat’s Kiran Hospital.

Surat: The city of diamonds may soon become the organ transplant hub in the coming few years. For the first time, the city-based Kiran Hospital successfully transplanted the liver of a brain-dead patient from Valsad on Sunday.

Ranjan Pravin Chavda, 40, a resident of Manek Baug in Valsad’s Segvi village was declared brain dead at the Apple hospital on October 2. Ranjan’s family members donated her vital organs including liver, kidneys, and corneas, and save the lives of five patients, who were in dire need of organ transplantation, through the city-based NGO working for cadaver donation, Donate Life.

According to the volunteers of Donate Life, Ranjan Chavda was a yoga teacher in Valsad. She met with an accident, while she was going to her sister’s place in Valsad, on the Valsad-Dharampur Chowkdy on September 30. The victim had sustained serious brain injuries and that she was shifted to the Valsad-based Lotus hospital, where her CT scan report suggested severe brain hemorrhage, blood clotting in the brain, and fracture.

After the primary treatment, Ranjanben was shifted to Surat’s Apple hospital, and that she was admitted under neurosurgeon Dr. KC Jain. On October 2, Ranjanben was declared brain dead.

The management of Apple hospital contacted Donate Life’s founder and president, Nilesh Mandlewala for persuading her family members to donate Ranjanben’s vital organs. A team led by Nilesh Mandlewala reached Apple hospital on October 2 and persuaded Ranjanben’s family members to donate her vital organs.

Ranjanben’s family members including her husband, Pravin Chavda agreed to donate her vital organs.

Talking with TBT, Donate Life’s founder, and president, Nilesh Mandlewala said, “After her family members agreed for organ donation, we contacted State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) for the donation of kidneys and liver. However, SOTTO allotted liver transplant to the Surat-based Kiran Hospital, while the kidneys were donated to the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre (IKDRC).”

Mandlewala added, “This is the first time that liver has been transplanted in a well-known industrialist in Surat. For this,  a green corridor was made with the help of the city police. With the transplantation facilities available at Kiran Hospital, patients in Surat and South Gujarat will be able to take benefit”

The kidneys of Ranjanben was transplanted in a 40-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man from Vadodara.

Amidst the difficult times of the Covid-19 pandemic when there was a decrease in the ratio of cadaveric organ donations in India, Donate Life has been able to persuade the donation of 46 kidneys, 26 livers, 10 hearts, 16 lungs, pancreas, and 44 corneas. A total of 143 organs and tissue were donated during the Covid-19 pandemic, giving a new lease of life to 132 people across the country.

Nilesh Mandlewala said, “We salute the family member of Ranjan Chavda for their brave decision to donate her vital organs after doctors declared her brain dead. We are also thankful to the doctors of Apple hospital, NOTTO, SOTTO, Kiran Hospital, IKDRC, Bhailal Amin Hospital, city police, Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), district collector etc. for their continuous support”

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