Sigh of relief as GMCH’s first kidney transplant is successful

Nagpur: It was an important day in the operation theatre for the team of specialists at Super Specialty Hospital. At the end of a four-hour-long kidney transplant operation, the first at any government hospital in Maharashtra under the Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayi Arogya Yojna and also at SSH, the doctors were beaming with pride. They had passed a milestone in the history of the hospital, as well as for all those involved in the operation.
Dr Sameer Chaubey, professor of nephrology at SSH, and Dr Sanjay Kolte, urosurgeon and associate professor in urology, were delighted that they could finally give something to their alma mater — Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) — by performing the transplant free of cost.
There were many firsts associated with this operation, including the fact that the doctors celebrated with rasgullas immediately after walking out of the theatre. “Finally, GMCH has done it. It is all due to the exceptional team spirit of everyone involved. From getting a MPCB clearance certificate, renewal of transplant permission, planning for the first transplant, the ground work that went into it, from readying the OTs to doctors preparing their own mindset … everything mattered,” said GMCH dean Dr A Niswade.
“I have been trying for the transplant unit right from day one, when I joined as SSH OSD in January 2015. But without the support of Dr Niswade, the nephrology and CVTS departments team and administrative staff I couldn’t have seen it through. GMCH has been preparing for this day for last one month,” said Dr Manish Shrigiriwar.
Dr Chaubey was overjoyed and had a different sense of achievement, since he had fulfilled his father Padmashri Dr BS Chaubey’s (former GMCH dean) dream of seeing a kidney transplant happen at SSH. “He had dreamt of SSH becoming a post graduate institute, have AIIMS-like status and see kidney transplants happen here. I am elated that I could conduct the first transplant here. It’s a very overwhelming feeling,” he told TOI.
Dr Kolte was equally moved. “I have been performing kidney transplants at various private hospitals for years. It was my 270th operation. But this transplant was different. I had been desperately waiting for it. It has been more than a satisfying experience. I have no words to describe my feelings. It is also a thanksgiving to my alma mater,” he said.
Though 23-year-old Mariya Afreen Sheikh has been Dr Chaubey’s patient for 11 years, her condition had gradually deteriorated in last one-and-a-half years. It was the support from her family and relatives that helped her pull through this far, even when she needed almost 4-5 dialysis sessions every week. “The family was completely drained financially. RGJAY came as a big timely boon since GMCH got transplant covered under RGJAY only recently. It is sheer luck that things fell in place at each step after we decided on a transplant on her. Luckily, the dean also made provisions of senior residents for post-operative care round the clock,” said Dr Chaubey.
OPERATION SUCCESSFUL
PATIENT’S NAME: Mariya Afreen Sheikh, 23 years
DONOR’S NAME: Shehzadi Praveen, 43, mother of Mariya
STATUS l Patient was suffering from 11 years, she was on dialysis since June 2015 l Initially she had nephrotic syndrome — with allergic affection resulting in protein loss in urine leading to chronic kidney damage. l Was under conservative treatment until about a year and half ago. She had begun to develop breathlessness due to effect in the heart. The number of dialysis from once a week in the beginning had reached almost daily dialysis in last few months.
DONORS’ POSITION l Both father (Mainuddin Shirajuddin Sheikh) and mother were equally keen on donating the kidney. But father had some cholesterol deposition in blood vessels as seen in Doppler sonography and hence raised doubts of narrowing of renal vessels.
l HLY typing for matching the kidneys of donor and recipient was done about a month back.
l Repeat HLA typing was done on Sunday.
OPERATION l Done on Tuesday. It lasted three and half hours (9am to 12.30pm).
l Generally transplant surgery takes 4-5 fours. But the duration here was reduced as both the surgeons operating on donor and recipient worked together.
DOCTORS’ TEAM Team of 10 doctors were involved in the transplant — urosurgeons Sanjay Kolte and Dhananjay Selokar, nephrologists Sameer Chaubey, Charulata Bawankule, Manish Balwani, Rajshri Mane, Nilima Patil, and anesthesian Vijay Shrotey and general surgeons from GMCH Nilesh Nagdive and Nilesh Mangam.
COMPLICATIONS There were no complications in the surgery. Urine output was normal immediately after the operation.
SIGNIFICANCE OF OPERATION l First live kidney transplant at super speciality hospital l First kidney transplant done in state under RGJAY (free of cost for patient) l Since there is no separate OT as yet for uro-surgeries, the operations were done in the heart (CVTS) operation theatres. The urology theatre to be ready in 4-5 months
Family that prays together, stays together
It was an emotional sight, a very close-knit family seated together in front of the operation theatre. The family of Haji Surajuddin Shiekh (patient Mariya’s grandfather), led the family praying for the success of the kidney transplant from 7am onwards with the Koran in their hands. Constant movement and talk around them didn’t distract. Only the patient’s father, Mainuddin Shirajuddin Sheikh, wasn’t praying. Apparently, he had left his daughter in the care of the almighty.
Besides the family, a huge number of neighbours from their Satranjipura residence near Chhoti Masjid Itwari too were there for moral support. They had stood by the family even in times of financial crisis during dialysis, when Sheikh’s income from daily wages couldn’t get together Rs25,000 needed for the dialysis.
The women, especially grandmother Hazan Zulekha Bi, who was the biggest pillar for the family in times of distress, were completely silent. Their eyes werer fixed on the OT door, but they prayed throughout. Amazingly, even after the doctors announced the surgery’s success, they remained quiet.
Asked how would they celebrate the success of the operation, one of Mariya’s aunts Khala Afroz Parveen said, “We would perform the ‘Sukrana (thanks giving) Namaz’. She was my dear daughter. She couldn’t complete her studies after failing in one paper in her standard. We will ensure that once she is back to normal, she resumes her studies,” she said. Suraiyya Anjuman (badi ma) was desperate to have a glimpse of Mariya. But she kept her cool when the doctors said she would be in ICU for about a fortnight.
Mariya’s two brothers need special mention. Elder brother Ubaid, who was doing his DPharm, left his studies to take care of his sister for the last one year. Somehow, he is ensuring that younger brother Mohammad Muzammin continues with his first year BBA. “The family is really too united,” said uncle Raisuddin, Mariya’s younger uncle.
“Doctors, especially Dr Chaubey, are nothing less than a god to us. He never demanded money when we didn’t have enough of it. To add to our luck was the team at SSH. We couldn’t have asked for more. We have seen them all planning every bit of it. It was as much an issue for them as us. Beginning from college dean Dr Niswade to SSH OSD Dr Shrigiriwar to head of nephrology Dr Bawankule and transplant coordinator Sheikh Mehraz, all worked as a team. The coordinator tried his best to counsel us and remove our anxiety,” added Raisuddin.