HYDERABAD: Scripting a medical achievement, doctors at the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hyderabad made history by successfully performing India’s first-ever double lung transplant on a COVID-19 patient. The patient was discharged on Friday after a six-week period of close monitoring and recovery.
The risky and complex surgery was done by a team of doctors led by Dr Sandeep Attawar, who is a pioneer in heart and lung transplant surgeries in India.
The patient, Rizwan, was suffering from sarcoidosis which affected his lungs. It eventually led to the formation of fibrosis which reduced his breathing abilities, leaving a double lung transplant as the only option for a cure, informed the doctors at a press briefing in the city.
Unfortunately, as the 32-year-old from Chandigarh was awaiting the donor’s lungs, he contracted COVID-19 which aggravated his condition.
“The oxygen requirement for the patient increased from 15 litres/minute to 50 litres/minute for the last eight weeks. The patient was also extremely sick, undernourished and bedridden before the transplant,” added hospital officials.
The procedure was however done as it was the only way to save his life.
“The patient was a severe case of lung sarcoidosis and COVID-19 only complicated the precarious lung condition. The procedure was complex and had little scope for errors. Post-discharge as well, he will need close monitoring, bio bubble environment and careful drug control for six weeks at least,” said Dr Attawar.