Delhi hospital performs lung transplant surgery on COVID patient

December 3, 2020 Hot from the Oven Valli Sarvani No comments

COVID-19 impacts the respiratory system of the patients severely. It leads to many serious consequences including death.

In a rare incident, a private hospital in Delhi successfully performed lung transplant surgery on a post-COVID patient.

The hospital claims that it was first such surgery on a post-COVID patient in north India. A 31-year-old from Uttar Pradesh contracted COVID-19 a few months ago. The man had breathing issues before contracting COVID-19. And COVID-19 worsened his overall health including lungs. He was suffering from advanced interstitial lung disease and lung fibrosis.

His oxygen levels dropped drastically due to COVID-19. He was provided with oxygen. Due to his breathing issues, he was given BIPAP support as well.

While lung transplant surgery could save him, the doctors waited for a donor. Meanwhile, a 49-year-old woman from Jaipur met with a road accident which led to fatal head injuries. Hence, her lungs were donated to this young man.

Since the retrieved lungs have to be transported within a specific time, they were transported in a green corridor, which was created between the hospital and the airport at both places, Jaipur and Delhi. The harvested lungs were sent through an Air India flight to Delhi. From there, an ambulance transported them to the hospital. The creation of green corridor enabled to pass the entire stretch of 18.3 km in less than 20 minutes.

Thus, the lungs were transplanted to the recipient within a critical time. A team of 15 doctors performed the surgery that lasted for 10 hours. It was a success. Rahul Chandola, Heart & Lung Transplant Specialist led the surgery. It was the first such surgery in north India for the doctors to perform a lung transplant on a post-COVID patient.

Image Credit: Dineshverma3065 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons