~ The First Successful Lung Transplant performed by a Hospital in Tamil Nadu on a Patient with significant lung Injury owing to Paraquat poisoning~
Chennai, 14th February 2024: A homemaker aged 27 years old hailing from Andhra Pradesh’s Ongole District faced a life-threatening situation when she accidentally consumed a weed killer (pesticide) mixed with Fruit juice in Pet bottle. Her children, while playing at home, unknowingly mixed this pesticide with fruit juice. The mother unknowingly consumed the pesticide-mixed fruit juice.
Initially, she had been admitted at a hospital in her hometown. The doctors on duty gave her IV fluids when she complained of shivering, weakness, and abdominal discomfort. After symptomatic support treatment, she was discharged from the hospital that very night. But later complained of difficulty in breathing. Panic-stricken, her husband rushed her to another hospital. It was then revealed upon investigation that she had accidentally consumed fruit juice mixed with a weed killer causing extensive damage to her kidney and liver. She was medically treated to the best of the doctor’s abilities for nearly a month but there was not much improvement her condition.
Since the patient had continuous breathing difficulties, she was placed on ventilator support. Further examinations by doctors revealed that her lungs were severely affected and that was not discovered during initial treatment. Her lungs worsened over time despite medical interventions. With no respite for her and her family, the situation reached a critical point, where they gave up all hope.
The Doctors’ upon realizing their situation reached out to Dr. Govini Balasubramani, Program Director – Thoracic Organ Transplant, Gleneagles Health City Chennai for an opinion. Dr Govini verified the medical reports of the patient and based on the reports he instructed the Doctors to immediately shift to Gleneagles Health City for timely treatment.
“Upon arrival, her carbon dioxide levels were alarmingly high; almost four times higher than what the normal value should be. She was in a near-death situation as it had reached almost 125 which was many times higher than normal. Coupled with very low oxygen levels in the blood she was in worsening respiratory failure. This prompted us to put her on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) support. Since her lungs showed progressive worsening and fibrosis the option of lung transplant was discussed with the family as the only solution to save her. She was subsequently enlisted into the state organ transplant registry as a cadaveric lung transplant recipient,” said Dr Govini
“Within five days, a transplant alert was received, and a suitable donor lung was identified. The transplant was successfully conducted, leading to the removal of both ECMO and ventilatory support. She is now breathing on her own and will soon be discharged,” added, Dr. Govini Balasubramani.
“The patient, belonging to a lower-middle-income background, had financial support from the poultry farm where her parents worked, along with additional assistance from the AP Government under CMRF. The organ donor, a recently deceased female with brain hemorrhage-induced brain death, provided a lung that matched the recipient’s needs in terms of size and blood group compatibility. The entire process, from being admitted to Gleneagles Health City Chennai to the successful transplant and recovery, was just ten days. The family, originally facing a dire situation, was fortunate to receive timely medical intervention, showcasing the significance of prompt and specialized care in critical cases,” said, Dr Apar Jindal, Program Director – Lung Transplant & Head of Department Pulmonary Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Gleneagles Health City Chennai.
“Incidentally, this is the first case in the history of Tamil Nadu that a lung transplant has successfully been performed on a patient who had severe lung damage due to paraquat poisoning,” Dr Apar Jindal pointed out
“It was a successful operation at Gleneagles Health City Chennai, and we congratulate Dr Apar Jindal and the entire team of experienced doctors who are willing to take up challenges not only in Chennai but across the Country. We are proud to have the best of the Doctors here as we have proven time and again based on the successful operations we conduct,” concluded Dr Nageswar Rao K, Chief Executive Officer, Gleneagles Health City Chennai.
