PGI's Department of Renal Transplant Surgery celebrated the 50th anniversary of renal transplant surgery, at NINE Auditorium on Wednesday. PGIMER conducted its first kidney transplant on June 21, 1973 and has accomplished over 4700 renal transplants till today including both live and deceased. Over 200 delegates participated in the event. It was presided over by Prof. Vivek Lal, Director PGI and Dr Anil Kumar, Director, National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) under the aegis of National Organ and Tissue Transplant Programme, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The pioneers of kidney transplant at PGI were also present, Padmashree awardee Prof. Mukut Minz, Prof. Vinay Sakhuja and Prof. R.K Suri who traced the journey of renal transplant. Dr Anil Kumar said that we need infrastructure, manpower and community engagement to sustain the deceased organ donation programme and PGI has set an example for others to emulate. PGI has also become the first public sector hospital to do transplant after cardiac death in 2011 and to date 27 renal transplants have been conducted from cardiac death donors. Even Simultaneous Pancreas Kidney Transplant (SPKT) was initiated by the department in 2014 and at present, the department has to its credit 40 successful SPKT. The latest addition in the accomplishments is the Simultaneous Liver Kidney Transplant (SLKT), shared Prof. Ashish Sharma. “There can’t be a better way to demonstrate the success of transplant as a life option than the recipients themselves,” said Dr. Shivakumar S Patil, of Renal Transplant Surgery, as he introduced Sukhdev who had received a kidney from his father 37 years ago and is leading a healthy life, as well as Ravjot the youngest recipient of PGI who received a kidney from a deceased three-year-old. The recipients Sukhdev received a kidney from his father in 1985, at the age of 35 and his father was 64 at that time. He is the longest survivor after kidney transplant at PGI. “It appears miraculous that the total age of the kidney is more than hundred years now,” said Dr Ashish. Poonam received a kidney five years ago from an 11-month-old child who had suffered a head injury. The kidneys have now grown in size and she maintains a normal kidney function. Poonam is able to lead an active life and participates in adventure sports including rafting in Rishikesh. Shalini cleared the NEET examination, but could not join as she developed kidney failure. She was on dialysis for five years and was suffering from diabetes since childhood and required multiple insulin injections. Eventually her kidney failed and she started dialysis. She frequently used to develop life threatening low blood sugar levels. After she received a kidney and pancreas transplant, she has been completely cured of diabetes and maintains a normal kidney function. Ravjot’ kidneys completely failed when he was three and it was nearly impossible to maintain him on hemodialysis. A family of another three-year-old child donated kidneys to Ravjot, who is now eight and is living a normal life.
