77-Year-Old Woman Gives New Life Through Organ Donation
Timely Coordination and Critical Care Support Enable Successful Organ Retrieval Despite Complex Clinical Challenges
A 77-year-old woman was rushed to the Emergency Department of Manipal Hospitals, Baner, Pune, in an unconscious state with severely compromised breathing. She was immediately placed on ventilatory support, and an urgent CT scan of the brain revealed a massive intracranial haemorrhage causing extensive and irreversible damage.
While speaking about this case, Dr. Sarang Gotecha, Neurosurgeon, Manipal Hospitals, Baner, Pune, said, “The patient had suffered a massive intracranial haemorrhage, leading to severe and irreversible brain damage. On evaluation, it was clear that the condition was not survivable, and surgical intervention would not have altered the outcome. Despite this, the team continued to provide all possible supportive care. In such situations, timely and transparent communication with the family becomes crucial, and their decision to proceed with organ donation reflects immense strength and compassion.”
Dr. Bhushan Nagarkar, HOD – Critical Care Medicine, Manipal Hospitals, Baner, Pune said, "In cases of brain death, maintaining organ viability requires meticulous critical care and constant monitoring. The patient was brought to us in critical condition with irreversible neurological damage. Despite all efforts, she could not be revived. The family’s decision to proceed with organ donation in such a difficult moment is deeply commendable. Our team worked continuously to stabilize her physiological parameters, enabling successful organ retrieval and giving a new lease of life to multiple patients.”
Following consent from the family, a multidisciplinary team started the organ donation procedure. To sustain organ function, the patient was kept on advanced life support, which involves complicated and urgent monitoring and stabilization of important variables including blood pressure, oxygenation, and organ perfusion. One liver and two kidneys were successfully retrieved from the donor after the Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre (ZTCC) helped distribute organs in accordance with the waiting list.
Dr Bhumika Maikhuri is a Consultant Orthodontist at Sanjeevan Hospital, Delhi. She is also working as a Correspondent and a Medical Writer at Medical Dialogues. She completed her BDS from Dr D Y patil dental college and MDS from Kalinga institute of dental sciences. Apart from dentistry, she has a strong research and scientific writing acumen. At Medical Dialogues, She focusses on medical news, dental news, dental FAQ and medical writing etc.