Double lung transplant helps treat rare disease
HYDERABAD: Doctors at a private hospital in the city have successfully performed the region’s first double lung transplant for pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis. The complex and rare disease is characterised by the formation of micro-stones which are basically calcium depositions in the lungs, turning them hard and rock-like and therefore non-collapsible.
Venkateshwara Rao, the 52-year old patient, had lost lung function and was in advanced lung failure stage where every day he needed 5 to 7-litres of oxygen per minute to maintain 90 per cent saturation limits.
“Most of the surgeries for this rare disease are done using ECMO. We have successfully done the surgery without ECMO, on a beating heart, without a single blood transfusion. This is the safest for the patient. He could walk on the fourth postoperative day, and was discharged on the 11th day,” said Dr. Jnanesh Thacker, senior consultant cardiothoracic surgeon, Yashoda Hospital.