Organs of brain dead Pudukkottai youth give new life to six patients

Tamizh Mani, a student pursuing Diploma Engineering Course in Pudukkottai, met with an accident on April 14, resulting in head injuries. Admitted to the Meenakshi Misson Hospital Research Centre in Madurai, he was declared brain dead on Tuesday, despite intensive treatment.

His father Murugappan and his other family members were told about his condition. Grief counsellors told them that through organ donation, their son would be able to offer a new lease of life to others with serious ailments.

Upon receiving their consent, a team of doctors harvested his kidneys, eyes, liver and heart on Wednesday. While the eyes were sent to Aravind Eye Hospitals, one kidney and liver were retained by the Meenakshi Mission Hospital. The other kidney harvested was sent to Apollo Tiruchy and the heart was airlifted from Madurai to be donated to Chennai’s Fortis Malar Hospital. 

A green corridor was arranged from the Chennai Airport to the Fortis Malar Hospital, at 2.30 pm, and the distance was covered in just 11 minutes. 

A 22-year-old patient from Dharmapuri suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy was admitted to Fortis just last week. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart becomes enlarged and cannot pump blood efficiently. The decreased heart function can affect the lungs, liver, and other body systems. It is a congenital and familial condition that can affect one in 1,000 people, said Dr Suresh Rao, Head - Cardiac Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Fortis Malar Hospital. 

He added, “An engineering student, the recipient, is also from the state and was awaiting a donor for the last one week. Fortunately, he received one in a short span.” 

Dr KS Ganesan, cardiothoracic surgeon, Fortis Malar, said that they have been seeing many such cases of late.