A first in Cadaver donation: Mumbai man’s bones to help cancer patients

“We are happy we took the decision to donate his organs. He will affect so many lives,” said Mhaske’s son-in-law Uttam Ambole. With awareness about organ donation increasing, Mhaske became the eleventh donor this year in the city, after his family approached government officials with the suggestion of donating his organs.

On February 11, Mhaske (55) had acute chest pain after he returned home in Chembur. He had been attached with a private transport company. According to his family, he underwent an ECG test the same day. “The doctor found major blockages in his heart and there was a high chance of a heart attack. We admitted him in a private hospital in Chembur. An injection to thin his blood sent him into a state of coma,” said Ambole.

Mhaske remained in a coma for a week. His family claimed that he was a patient of high blood pressure and the injection led to haemorrhage. In a week, the family ended up spending at least Rs 3 lakh for his treatment.

On Friday, however, doctors at Savla hospital in Chembur informed the family that his ‘brain stem cells’ had died, and his body, on ventilator support, was functioning on 10 per cent of his heart. “It was a tough decision. They said the heart functioning will only reduce,” Ambole said.

The family then proposed donating his organs. A green corridor was created from Chembur to Sion hospital on Friday. A team of doctors, headed by Ajit Sawant, retrieved his liver, eyes, kidney and bones at Sion hospital.

Five bones were taken from the ribcage, two, called iliac bones, were taken from the hip. According to Bharat Solanki, transplant coordinator at Tata Memorial hospital, the bones will be crushed into a powder form and used for reconstruction of new bones. The donated bones will be used for orthopaedic implant into bone cancer patients who often have to undergo amputation.

The Zonal Transplant Coordination Center (ZTCC) officials said that the liver was donated to Jupiter hospital for a 65-year-old woman. One kidney was transplanted into a 26-year-old man suffering from renal failure at Jaslok hospital and the second kidney was transplanted into a 35-year-old man at Sion hospital. The Sion Hospital’s ophthalmic department also retained the Mhaske’s cornea.

The family was happy about the cadaver donation, but they said the process should be made simpler and shorter for families already grieving the loss of their loved ones.

“The process of getting a death certificate took over an hour. Then we were asked to get a no-objection certificate from Chembur police for donating his organs. Our entire day was spent in completing formalities,” said a relative of Mhaske. The final rites were delayed as a result.

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