Friday, 27 June 2014

First Hybrid Cardiac Surgery North Kerala,India

On Friday, June 27, 2014


          The baby was diagnosed with TOF (Tetralogy of Fallot) which is a defect in the heart consisting of a hole between the lower pumping chambers (VSD) and obstruction to blood flow to the lungs (Pulmonary stenosis) this resulted in the baby being blue which worsened when he cried. In addition, this situation was complicated by the left lung artery not being connected to the main pulmonary artery. The usual practice in these situations has been to conduct two operations at two different times. Which would be doubling the risks and expenses for the family. In this situation it is prudent to use hybrid surgicaltechniques so that the two different procedures could be completed as a one-time procedure.  
         A hybrid procedure combines the skills of pediatric cardiac surgeons and pediatric interventional cardiologists (heart catheterization experts) in one procedure, addressing the child’s problem in the most effective way possible.
Our special  team allows for hybrid procedures that were not possible until recently, offering sophisticated therapeutic techniques to all children. By combining the skills of interventionalists, surgeons, echocardiographers and anesthesiologists, a patient’s treatment can be effective and long lasting under one anesthetic.
“This collaboration allows us to perform all the required procedures for a child at one time,” notes Dr. Benedict Raj, Sr. Consultant Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon, MIMS Children’s Heart Centre. “We can work quickly and effectively using both surgical and interventional cardiology techniques to provide maximum benefit to the patient. It also improves the ICU stay after cardiac surgery and the length of stay in the hospital”
This is the way to the future, collaboration over cooperation.
The surgery was lead by Dr. Benedict Raj, Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon, and Paediatric cardiologists, Dr. Renu P Kurup and Dr. Ramadevi K.S and Paediatric Cardiac Anaesthesiologists Dr. Sujatha P. and Dr. Mohandas B.S.







 

     


Thursday, 26 June 2014

Who can donate organs ?

On Thursday, June 26, 2014
                There are two types of donors, living and brain-dead. Living donors are normal healthy volunteers who can donate God- given organs that could be spared. Only kidney, liver and bone marrow could be donated by a living donor. Living donation has been taking place around the globe for last 60 years. All available studies show that with present evaluation methods for donation is safe and causes no morbidity or mortality due to donation. Advantage of living donation is that we can avoid wait time and do a planned surgery without uncertainties of an emergency surgery.  
Brain-dead donors are patients who had the misfortune of suffering from non treatable, irreversible brain damage due to accident or disease. Brain dead patients would not have any meaningful function of the brain and would not be able to breathe by self, but they would have a functioning heart which would be pumping blood to all organs. Their "life" would be supported on ventilator. A brain dead patient's heart would stop eventually within 2-3 days of becoming brain-dead and the patient would be pronounced clinically dead. It is this window of 2-3 days that gives an opportunity for the bereaved family to donate vital organs from a humanitarian standpoint. Once brain dead, there are only two reasons to maintain life on life support system like ventilator, first being to consider organ donation and secondly for buying time for the bereaved family to arrange for last rites of the patient. All transplantable organs can be procured for organ transplantation from a brain dead donor.






                                      FACTS  ABOUT BRAIN DEATH 
Brain death is a clinical diagnosis and no advanced investigation is actually needed.

Panel of minimum 4 doctors independently certify brain death. None of the doctors would be from the transplant team. 
Brain death is accepted as legal form of death by Government 
of India since 1994.(TRANSPLANTATION OF HUMAN ORGANS ACT (THO)  8th July 1994)
Head injury due to different reasons commonly account for brain death. In India road traffic accident is the most common cause for brain death. 
Brain-dead patient would be invariably in ICU and on ventilator for oxygenation

 

DEFINITION OF BRAIN DEATH
Irreversible and complete loss of
- Consciousness
- Capacity to breathe
- Integrated neurological function
BRAIN DEATH IS NOT COMA
A person can recover from a coma,
but brain death is death.


 

 


Brain- dead organ donation - the current status in India 
             Death following brain-death accounts for less than 5% of total deaths in a population. In India due to its phenomenal population, even this small fraction can provide as tremendous resource of organs for the needy patients. The organ donation rate in western world from brain- dead donor’s amounts to 30 donors per million population per year, where as in India it is only less than 0.5 donors per million population per year. It is believed that if we increase our organ donation rate to 5 donors per million population per year, we might be able to meet many organ transplantation requirements of even our neighboring countries.  
There are many reasons cited for poor brain-dead organ donation in India. Lack of public awareness, lack of government initiative, lack of infrastructure, religious restrictions and lack of trust in proper utilization of the donated organs are the most commonly cited reasons for poor brain dead organ donation in our country. 




Wednesday, 25 June 2014

DONATE ORGAN, DONATE LIFE

On Wednesday, June 25, 2014

                  A successful transplantation (moving of an organ from one body to another) is the most durable option for a patient suffering from end stage organ failure.  With first successful kidney transplantation in 1953 the medical world has moved into a new orbit which is now contemplating limb and face transplantation. Organ transplantation has evolved through years with people undergoing transplantation leading a near normal life with safe and affordable medications.  Kidney, liver, pancreas, heart, intestine and eye (cornea) are the routine organs that are transplanted. Though not a solid organ, bone marrow (stem cell) transplantation is another domain in the world of transplantation, mainly done for various hematologic conditions.
            Availability of donors/organs, affordability of medications, general health and proactive nature of patients are important aspects of successful transplantation. Even in the developed world despite having advanced health care delivery systems, there is significant demand-supply deficit in transplantation. In developing countries like India the proportion of needy patients undergoing transplantation is deplorably low. If one looks at kidney failure, the cost and effort involved in doing dialysis which is the alternative treatment for renal failure is so high that we can do a renal transplantation with the expense involved for two years of dialysis. Promoting organ transplantation is the need of the hour for end stage organ failures in developing countries. In brief, transplantation gives best outcome in the most cost-effective way.


Who can donate organs ?

            There are two types of donors, living and brain-dead. Living donors are normal healthy volunteers who can donate God- given organs that could be spared. Only kidney, liver and bone marrow could be donated by a living donor. Living donation has been taking place around the globe for last 60 years. All available studies show that with present evaluation methods for donation is safe and causes no morbidity or mortality due to donation. Advantage of living donation is that we can avoid wait time and do a planned surgery without uncertainties of an emergency surgery.   
        Brain-dead donors are patients who had the misfortune of suffering from non treatable, irreversible brain damage due to accident or disease. Brain dead patients would not have any meaningful function of the brain and would not be able to breathe by self, but they would have a functioning heart which would be pumping blood to all organs. Their "life" would be supported on ventilator. A brain dead patient's heart would stop eventually within 2-3 days of becoming brain-dead and the patient would be pronounced clinically dead. It is this window of 2-3 days that gives an opportunity for the bereaved family to donate vital organs from a humanitarian standpoint. Once brain dead, there are only two reasons to maintain life on life support system like ventilator, first being to consider organ donation and secondly for buying time for the bereaved family to arrange for last rites of the patient. All transplantable organs can be procured for transplantation from a brain dead donor.






                                      FACTS  ABOUT BRAIN DEATH 
Brain death is a clinical diagnosis and no advanced investigations actually needed.
Panel of minimum 4 doctors independently certify brain death. None of the doctors would be from the transplant team. 
Brain death is accepted as legal form of death by Government of India since 1994.(TRANSPLANTATION OF HUMAN ORGANS ACT (THO)  8th July 1994)
Head injury due to different reasons commonly account for brain death. In India road traffic accident is the most common cause for brain death. 
Brain-dead patient would be invariably in ICU and on
 ventilator for oxygenation

 

DEFINITION OF BRAIN DEATH
Irreversible and complete loss of
- Consciousness
- Capacity to breathe
- Integrated neurological function
BRAIN DEATH IS NOT COMA
A person can recover from a coma,
but brain death is death.


 

 

Brain- dead organ donation - the current status in India  

           Death following brain-death accounts for less than 5% of total deaths in a population. In India due to its phenomenal population, even this small fraction can provide as tremendous resource of organs for the needy patients. The organ donation rate in western world from brain- dead donor’s amounts to 30 donors per million population per year, where as in India it is only less than 0.5 donors per million population per year. It is believed that if we increase our organ donation rate to 5 donors per million population per year, we might be able to meet many organ requirements of even our neighboring countries.  
               There are many reasons cited for poor brain-dead organ donation in India. Lack of public awareness, lack of government initiative, lack of infrastructure, religious restrictions and lack of trust in proper utilization of the donated organs are the most commonly cited reasons for poor brain dead organ donation in our country. 
Common Misconceptions About Organ donation

            Without ignoring the medical implications one can say that organ donation is purely a social act to save fellow human being. Only when the society understands and pushes for it, the medical fraternity is going to wake up and do it. Blood donations have become routine standard of care and eye donation is becoming more acceptable across all strata of society. There is no reason the  civilized and caring society of our country should not accept the concept of donation of organs like kidney, liver and heart of whose failure thousands are dying daily in India. It is important that the society has clarity on this important social issue. 
           Following are the common doubts that an individual would  have when the topic of brain-dead organ donation is made aware to him/her. 
Q. Is brain death reversible  or is there in any chance of recovery once patient is brain dead ?
A. Brain death is totally irreversible . Once brain death happens, within 3 days usually heart would also stop functioning and final death ensues.
Q. What is the benefit I get if my kin donates an organ?
A. Donating an organ is nothing short of donating  a life. In many organ failures patient is going to die if not transplanted soon enough. There is no doubt that the biggest help you can do to any fellow being is to save his life. By helping an individual you would be changing the lives of a family and generations to come. There is no monetary benefit at any level to any person involved in brain death organ donation.
Q. Does anyone get any monetary benefit?
A. There is no monetary benefit at any level to any person involved in brain death organ donation. This is an act of the society for the society.
Q. Will I have to spend any money if I agree for my kin's organ donation?
A. The relatives of donating patient's family would not have to pay anything with regard to organ donation. Any expenses after the family consents for organ donation would be borne by hospitals, recipient families and government.
Q. Does organ donation surgery / procedure cause any disfigurement to patient's body?
A. Not at all. All organs are procured by standard surgical techniques worldwide. Eye donation also does not produce any disfigurement.
Q. Who is supervising the organ donation program ?
Brain death as a death criteria was accepted by Indian Parliament in 1994. All states have transplant authorities responsible for transplant activities. In Kerala there is a dedicated body to supervise the Brain- dead organ donation program call Mrithasanjeevani. Any organ donation in Kerala takes place under their permission and supervision only.  It is chaired by Government officials , doctors and responsible individuals from different sections of the society.
Q. Who decides that which patient is going to get the donated organ ? Can the donor family get involved in the recipient selection process ?
A. The patients who have organ failure and want a transplant are listed in a wait list according to their seniority based on the duration of illness. The wait list and organ allocation is supervised by the supervising state authority. The family of donor can definitely recommend a relative or acquaintance with organ failure as potential recipient, but his or her candidacy can be accepted based on medical fitness of the patient.    
Q. Who decides on which all organs could be donated ?
A. It is the prerogative of the donor family to decide on which all organ to be donated. Family can consent for a one organ or multiple organs.
Q .Would organ donation affect our funeral plans?
A. Organ donation surgery can take an additional 4 to 6 hours for arrangements and procedure. The timing of organ procuring procedure could be done to facilitate any special requests of the patient's family. But if post-Morten examination is needed it would take its normal course.
Q. Can the privacy of donor's identity be protected ? Can the donor family know who is getting  the organ ?
A. Donor's and recipient's identity would be protected. Without consent neither identity would be revealed by authorities concerned.
Q. Is my religion against organ donation ?
A. Virtually no major religion is against organ donation. Two fundamental principles on which all religious thoughts converge are - monitory benefit should not be the motive or end result of organ donation program and the deserving patients should get the benefit of the whole exercise.

                                                                  RELIGIONS AND ORGAN DONATION
HINDUISM: believe in transmigration of the soul and reincarnation, whereby the deeds of an individual in this life will eventually determine its fate in the next. An important tenet of Hinduism is to help those who are suffering, and Daan, or selfless giving, ranks third among its Niyamas (virtuous acts). Physical integrity of the dead body is not seen as crucial to reincarnation of the soul.

ISLAM : altruism is also an important principle of Islam, and saving a life is placed very highly in the Qur'an—'Whosoever saves the life of one person it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind' 
(Holy Quran ; chapter 5:32). In Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - 25% of the transplantation is from brain-dead donors.

CHRISTIANITY: Most Anglican, Catholic and Protestant scholars seem to agree that organ donation is an act of selflessness and endorse transplantation. Popes Benedict XVI  and John Paul II has publiclyendorsed organ donation.

JUDAISM: Saving a life is a fundamental value in Judaism (pikuach nefesh). In fact, Jewish law demands that one should violate almost all other commandments to save a life (except for the prohibitions of murder, idolatry and illicit sexual relations).

SIKHISM: Sikhs believe in life after death, and a continuous cycle of rebirth. In Sikhism, the physical body



                               











 
 

The task ahead for our society
                 With  present day medications and facilities the option of transplantation is the best way forward to have a normal life for a patient with end stage organ failure. Dearth of matching donor is one of the major impediments in facilitating transplant option beyond a point in our society. Brain dead donor organ is a grossly underutilized option in our country, but what the developed world has been successfully doing for the last four decades. Our society needs to motivate ourselves and facilitate brain- dead organ donation. Government has made declaring brain-dead status mandatory in hospitals. This would help to identify and initiate discussion about potential organ donation when a patient becomes brain dead. Our families, friends, colleagues and all platforms should be utilized for awareness. Everybody should use government authority and other expert organizations associated with transplantation  to clarify their queries and concerns regarding organ donation. One should be aware of misinformation propaganda floating in the society due to ignorance about this complicated and multidisciplinary program. Ultimate happiness and sense of achievement is attained when we see patients leading a successful normal life after transplantation which otherwise would have been impossible without organ donation.  
"What loss do I suffer to give an unwanted organ after my death to give another person life?"
(Dr Desmond Biddulph, Chairman of The Buddhist Society)

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