At Global Hospital Mumbai a multidisciplinary team lead by Dr Samir Garde, Dr Chandrashekhar Kulkarni, Dr Vishal Pingle, Dr Prashant Borade, Dr Shruti Tapiawala & Dr Khushboo Dharmani the only Mumbai based Lung transplant team available 24x7 to patient care, successfully performed a lung transplant on a 57-year-old patient suffering from interstitial lung disease.
The patient was unable to walk even a few steps without oxygen and had difficulty in breathing which showed remarkable improvement post-surgery and is now able to walk 600 metres without oxygen support with ease.
Interstitial Lung Disease is a debilitating disease that leads to scarring of lung tissue causing the lungs to fibrose and become stiff. Following an incident free stay in the hospital, Vijay Soman, residing Andheri, happily returned home after undergoing a lung transplant which was his only chance at survival. He was referred to Global Hospitals, Mumbai, after he had visited multiple other doctors without getting any relief. After being worked up thoroughly a diagnosis of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis was made and he was advised home based oxygen therapy to relieve his symptoms. Idiopathic Pulmonary fibrosis is a rare subset of interstitial lung disease and the only definitive treatment is Lung Transplant.
Dr Samir Garde, Director – Pulmonology, Interventional Pulmonology & Lung Transplant, Global Hospital, Parel, Mumbai said, “At the end of May 2023, he needed oxygen support. Due to lung fibrosis, he developed pulmonary hypertension meaning the blood pressure of the lungs started going up. That is the condition where it can affect the right side of the heart and the right side can even fail. Thus, one will get breathless with the slightest amount of exertion and there is de-saturation as the oxygen level drops down. The incidence of lung fibrosis has gone up by 15% in the last 5 years and the cause behind it can be indoor and outdoor pollution. Thankfully, the patient was well-motivated, taking physiotherapy and following the nutritional advice. After registration in May, he was fortunate to get the donor lungs for transplant. He recovered well and could even complete a stretch of 600 metres without stopping and oxygen support post the surgery before being discharged. In addition to all other measures that transplant recipients take, he will have to be extra cautious as lungs are directly exposed to the atmosphere.”
Dr Chandrashekhar Kulkarni, Senior Consultant CVTS and lead Heart & Lung Transplant Surgeon at Global Hospitals, Parel Mumbai said, “pulmonary diseases like Interstitial Lung Disease when present with a long-standing history, the chances of heart being affected are more. Fortunately, since Mr Vijay was in regular follow up, the multidisciplinary team here could guide him with interventions and stabilise his clinical condition pre-operatively. We initiated a VA ECMO during the surgery to reduce the load on the heart and it helped in a faster recovery. At the time of discharge, Mr Vijay could walk unaided and without oxygen support which is significant improvement and he will continue on the road to recovery well.
“Since 2021, my breathing troubles and inability to walk have greatly impacted my work concentration. My gratitude goes out to the doctors who promptly addressed my condition. Despite fear in my family members, I remained resolute in pursuing a transplant for an improved quality of life. Given the cutting-edge advancements in the medical field, one should confidently opt for a transplant without hesitation as timely treatment options are now accessible,” said patient Vijay Yashwant Soman.
Meticulous planning, precise coordination between medical teams, and state-of-the-art facilities is a testament to the expertise and dedication of the team at Global Hospital, Parel. Integrated efforts like these pave the way for future advancements by raising awareness about critical health issues that demand urgent attention. As we celebrate this remarkable triumph, we must also reiterate our collective responsibility to support organ donation campaigns so that more lives can be transformed through pioneering treatments like lung transplants in patients with debilitating illnesses such as interstitial lung disease (ILD), concluded Dr Vivek Talaulikar, COO, IHH Healthcare India.
Global Hospital has the good success rate in western India for Lung transplant, this achievement marks a significant step forward in the field of organ transplantation and offers hope to countless individuals grappling with similar conditions.
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