Family donates 59-year-old man’s organs after declared brain dead

The family of a 59-year-old man who was declared brain dead donated his kidneys, liver, and corneas on Monday.

The man from Hooghly was on a ventilator at Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals and was declared brain dead on Sunday night. He is survived by his wife and son.

The organ retrieval and transplantation procedure was carried out, and the organs were allocated to multiple recipients.

One of his kidneys was transplanted into a 32-year-old female recipient at Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, and the other was allocated to SSKM Hospital, a statement by the hospital said.

His liver was transplanted into a 47-year-old female recipient at Apollo, and corneas were allocated to Disha Eye Bank, the hospital said.

“When we think there is a probable organ donor, then, according to national and state guidelines, we inform the recipients on the list of people waiting. When it matches, the patient is called to the hospital...,” said Nilanchal Chakraborty, consultant, critical care medicine, Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata.

One of the major challenges of organ donation is the grieving family being ready to donate organs.

“First of all, the immediate family or relative has to be counselled that there is a possibility and they can help others because people are waiting for liver or kidneys for a couple of years or more. They have to be counselled that he or she is not going to come back, but he or she can be of help to others in his death,” said Chakraborty.

At the same time, managing the patient medically, maintaining all the organs with oxygenation, haemoglobin maintenance, blood pressure maintenance, so that organs are in proper condition, which is the requirement for organ donation, he said.