Doctors at MGM Healthcare hospital here have performed a bilateral lung transplant for a COVID-19 affected patient on Thursday.
A statement from the hospital said the lungs of the 48-year-old patient from Delhi were severely damaged because of COVID-19-related fibrosis. He was found to be positive on June 8 and had to be kept on ventilator support since then. As his condition worsened, he was airlifted to MGM Healthcare on July 20 where he was put on ECMO support five days later.
K. R. Balakrishnan, chairman and director of Cardiac Sciences and director of Heart and Lung Transplant Programme at the hospital, said that although doctors at the hospital were initially in a dilemma, they later decided to prioritise the patient’s health and go ahead with the transplant.
“I commend the doctors and other support staff for going ahead with the transplant without thinking about the risk to their own health and safety. We are happy that the transplanted lungs are working fine,” he said.
Suresh Rao, co-director, Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support, said the ECMO support had been removed for the patient as his clinical condition was stable.
Prashanth Rajagopalan, director, MGM Healthcare said: “It is a proud moment for our hospital.”
