TIRUNELVELI: Over 10 people got a new lease of life in the last eight days after organs were harvested from two brain-dead patients at the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH). The organs were harvested by a group of doctors, led by Dean Dr Revathi Balan.
According to the doctors at TvMCH, V Shanmugadurai (52) of Ullar village in Tenkasi district was brought in critical condition after he had suddenly collapsed at his house on Sunday evening. He did not respond to the treatment and was later declared brain dead. Shanmugadurai's family members consented to donate his organs, and a team led by Dr Balan harvested the organs on Tuesday morning. The hospital management retained one of his kidneys and the corneas and sent his heart to MGM Health Care Hospital in Chennai, lungs to Kauvery Hospital in Chennai, liver to Meenakshi Mission Hospital in Madurai, and a kidney to Madurai Rajaji Government Medical College Hospital.
The doctors and staff at TvMCH paid their respect to Shanmugadurai before his body was sent home. District Collector K P Karthikeyan visited the TvMCH and appreciated the team that was involved in harvesting organs. He also consoled the family of the deceased. Sankarankovil Revenue Divisional Officer Subbulakshmi paid tribute to Shamugadurai in Ullar. The TvMCH doctors had also harvested organs from a Rajapalayam-based patient, Mariappan (45), and sent them for transplantation on October 10.