india

Updated: Dec 31, 2018 15:04 IST

The family of a 51-year-old brain-dead woman from Kandivli gave a new lease of life to over five patients suffering from end-stage organ failure by consenting to donate her organs. This was the 52nd organ donation in the city this year.

It marked a new record of 136 organs being donated in the city by families of brain-dead patients. The donor, a housewife, was admitted to a local nursing home on December 28 after she suddenly collapsed at her residence. After an initial CT scan and other investigations, doctors confirmed the woman had suffered a stroke and suggested the family shift her to a tertiary care facility. She was then moved to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri.

Rekha Barot, transplant coordinator at the hospital, said the woman had no co-morbidities such as hypertension or diabetes which could lead to the stroke.

“Initial investigations hinted that there was no brain activity and she might have been braindead. The doctors immediately performed two apnea tests — an overnight test that records brain activity, eye movements, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, body movement, and other bodily functions to ascertain the same,” said Barot.

As the test confirmed that the woman was brain-dead, the same was communicated to the family which readily agreed to donate her heart, liver, kidneys, cornea and skin.

The heart, partial liver and one kidney transplant took place at Kokilaben Hospital for patients suffering from endstage organ failure.

The other kidney transplant took place at INH Ashwini Hospital in Colaba and a part of the liver was donated to a paediatric patient from Global Hospital, Parel.