42-Year-Old Undergoes Small Intestine Transplant After Organ Airlifted 1,400 km from Delhi

Mumbai: A 42-year-old man from Beed, Maharashtra, received a small intestine transplant at Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital after the organ was transported from a brain-dead donor in Delhi.

The intestine travelled more than 1,400 kilometres in about four-and-a-half hours to reach Mumbai for the surgery.

The donor was a 21-year-old woman declared brain-dead following a road accident at a private hospital in Delhi. Her family consented to organ donation, enabling the transplant.

Siddheshwar Dake had experienced abdominal pain and cramps for two years with no definitive diagnosis from hospitals in Marathwada. After being admitted to a private hospital in Sambhajinagar, he was referred to Nanavati Max Hospital’s Liver, Intestine, and Pancreas OPD.

"A CT scan revealed that the patient’s small intestine had lost its blood supply and turned gangrenous," said Dr Gaurav Chaubal, Director – HPB Surgery & Liver and Multi-Organ Transplant, Nanavati Max Hospital, Mumbai.

He further said, "Subsequent investigations diagnosed the patient with Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) thrombosis caused by a hypercoagulable state, an increased tendency for blood clots to form. Immediate intervention was required to prevent a life-threatening situation. We performed an emergency surgery to remove the affected segment. In such cases, a small intestine transplant is the only curative solution."

With no living donor in the family, Mr Dake was placed on the national cadaveric transplant waiting list. One month later, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) informed the hospital of a potential donor in Delhi.

"Upon receiving the alert from NOTTO, the organ retrieval team flew to Delhi with all necessary equipment. The retrieval procedure was conducted promptly upon arrival," said Dr Aditya J Nanavati, Associate Director – HPB Surgery, Liver & Multi-Organ Transplant, Nanavati Max Hospital, Mumbai.

"Our network hospitals, Max Hospital Shalimar Bagh and BLK-Max Hospital supported us in managing logistics, including ambulance services, police clearances, and expedited tissue cross-matching. The precision process was a result of coordinated teamwork," he added.

The intestine arrived in Mumbai within 10 minutes of the flight landing, and the transplant was completed within eight hours. Mr Dake was discharged in stable condition three weeks later and is recovering.

"This rare interstate transplant demonstrates the crucial role of precise coordination in organ transplantation," said Dr Vivek Talaulikar, Chief Operating Officer (Western Region), Max Healthcare. "Each step from aviation logistics and ground transport to immunological testing was meticulously planned by the team of Nanavati Max Hospital and the network hospitals of Max Healthcare."

Small intestine transplants are uncommon in India due to the surgical complexity and intensive post-operative care required.