Organs of brain-dead man airlifted to Chennai

Muthupandi, a load man from Thirumangalamkurichi near Kayathar in Thoothukudi, had met with an accident on Monday. He fell down and sustained injuries in his head. He was rushed to the Tirunelveli GH from where he was taken to a private hospital at Madurai. On Tuesday morning kin of Muthupandi were informed that he was brain dead and with their acceptance, the hospital decided to donate his organs. Doctors decided to remove four organs - heart, lungs, kidney and eyes – for a transplant. 

As per the plan the surgery was planned on Wednesday morning. Organs were removed and transported to Madurai airport by creating a green corridor. They were then airlifted to Chennai. The ambulance moved via the Sivagangai Main road and then reached the airport via the National Highways. After reaching the airport the organs were shifted to an air ambulance with the help of which the organs were transported to Chennai. A team of doctors and paramedics accompanied the organs to Chennai. 

Hospital sources claimed that the heart, lungs and kidneys were transported to two major private hospitals in Chennai and the eye was sent to another private hospital at Madurai. Kin of Muthupandi claimed that Muthupandi while traveling in his bike had slipped and fallen on the road. He had sustained injuries on his head and was declared brain dead. When asked about the details of the donors they claimed that they had no information about them. It may be remembered that in June last year, swift action by doctors and traffic police officers in Madurai and Chennai gave a new lease of life to a patient with end-stage heart failure. 

The heart of a brain-dead donor was harvested in Madurai and flown to Chennai where it was transplanted into the patient. The 29-year-old donor was a native of Kollichipatti in Dindigul district who met with an accident and was declared dead within two days. Doctors at the Madurai hospital quickly harvested the eyes which were sent to Aravind Eye Hospitals. 

The kidneys were used in another hospital. As there were recipients for the heart and the liver, in Chennai, the hospital authorities with the help of the then police Commissioner put the traffic on hold, crossed a 20- km stretch in 15 minutes and reached the organs at the airport to catch the 1.30 pm flight to Chennai. The flight from Madurai reached Chennai airport at 2.45 pm and a readily waiting team transported the heart within 17 minutes to the hospital in Mogappair. Doctors transplanted the heart into the patient in a procedure that lasted more than six hours.