VIJAYAWADA: Manipal Hospitals, Vijayawada got the licence approval for performing heart transplantations in the region on Wednesday. The approval enables Manipal Hospitals to give new lease of life to patients who need a heart transplant.
Speaking on the occasion, senior consultant and interventional cardiologist Manipal Hospitals Dr. Murali Krishna Nallamothu said, “We are happy and looking forward to carry out heart transplantations. Heart transplant is the treatment of choice for many patients with end-stage heart failure and with Manipal Hospitals’ expertise, patients can now look forward to improved survival rate and quality of life.”
Having received licence for liver and kidney transplantations in December 2015, Manipal Hospitals, Vijayawada performed 36 liver transplants till date, of which, 33 are cadaver and three are live liver transplants. The institution has also performed 33 kidney transplants till date, of which, 15 are cadaver and 18 are live kidney transplants.
In addition, the hospital has also performed 20 autologous and two allogeneic bone marrow transplants. The first organ transplant at Manipal Hospitals, Vijayawada was performed in May 2015 and that was a kidney transplant. It is the only hospital in the State to do pediatric live liver and bone marrow transplants.
Speaking about transplants and organ donation, consultant CTVS surgeon Dr. Srinivas Babu Kosuru said, “While transplants give a hope for patients with end-stage organ failure, India is still struggling with acute shortage of organs for transplantation. There are myths and there is lack of awareness among people about organ donation, because of which a whole segment of population does not donate. Infrastructure has now improved and transplantations are made easy thereby improving quality of lives.”