Eastern India’s Medica Superspecialty Hospital has made a historic stride in healthcare by performing the region’s first successful lung transplant on 16-year-old Swapnil Biswas. The procedure came about as a desperate but necessary response to Swapnil’s deteriorating condition due to the accidental ingestion of paraquat – a notoriously lethal herbicide.
Paraquat ingestion has severe health consequences, including lung damage that often leads to respiratory failure. Swapnil’s case was no different, and despite a month-long treatment involving veno-venous ECMO support, his health did not improve.
Faced with this medical conundrum, Dr. Kunal Sarkar, Dr. Dipanjan Chatterjee, and their team chose the bold course of action – a lung transplant. Transplants, while common in many developed nations, are still a rarity in India, primarily due to a lack of organ donors. Fortunately, with ROTTO (East)’s assistance, a matching donor was identified in time at Bhubaneshwar’s SUM Ultimate Hospital.
Swapnil’s successful lung transplant not only highlights the medical prowess at Medica Superspecialty Hospital but also illustrates the potential of organ transplants in India. As Swapnil embarks on his recovery journey, this case brings hope to countless other patients awaiting transplants and underlines the critical need for organ donation awareness in the country.
