5 months ago
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From 2021 to 2025 (up until November 27), the fig of large organ transplants roseate from 280 to 785 successful Tamil Nadu, an summation of astir 180%. While kidneys and liver proceed to beryllium utilised astatine precocious rates — averaging 80% to 90% — bosom and lung transplants stay acold down owed to organ-specific challenges specified arsenic viability thresholds and constricted preservation windows.
Tamil Nadu has witnessed a dependable emergence successful the fig of deceased donors successful caller years — 156 successful 2022, 178 successful 2023, 268 successful 2024, and 240 successful 2025. However, the proportionality of donors whose hearts and lungs are utilised remains low, highlighting the challenges successful transplanting these 2 captious organs.
According to organ utilisation data, 65 hearts and 86 lungs were utilised successful 2025, accounting for 27.08% and 17.91% respectively. In 2024, 35.82% hearts and 16.61% lungs were utilised.
Organ utilisation
Officials agreed that though the fig of deceased donors has increased, organ utilisation has not risen proportionately. “Globally, lung utilisation rates are low. One of the astir communal reasons for rejection is donor-recipient size mismatch. Often, the organ retrieval squad performs a bronchoscopy connected the spot and rejects the organ owed to reasons including secretions that bespeak infection. Prolonged ventilation tin interaction the lungs. We should absorption connected making the process quicker and forestall sepsis,” an authoritative said.
Paul Ramesh, Senior Consultant, Heart and Lung Transplant Surgeon, Kauvery Hospitals, Chennai, said it was indispensable to look astatine the ischemic clip and the fig of units performing kidney and liver transplants. “The accidental of getting an organ from a donor excavation is highest for liver and kidneys, accounting for 70% to 80% of the donor pool. Nearly 25% to 30% of hearts and 15% to 20% of lungs from the donor excavation are usable. The crushed for the organs being unusable lies successful the ischemic clip for bosom transplant, which is 4 to six hours, portion it is 8 to 10 hours for lung transplant,” helium explained.
D. Senthil Kumar, Senior Consultant, Cardiac Sciences, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Heart and Lung Transplantation, Rela Hospital, said erstwhile a bosom and lung becomes disposable for donation, they reappraisal aesculapian reports thoroughly and measure bosom function, ejection fraction, and inotropic enactment to determine suitability. “Lung utilisation depends connected factors similar aspiration, infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and arterial humor state analysis. Often, organs are rejected connected the operating array owed to issues specified arsenic bosom plaques, connected array dysfunction, size mismatch, lung contusion, oregon aspiration. Approximately successful 10 donor assessments, typically lone 3 to 4 hearts and 1 lung are usable, considering each captious parameters and ischemic time,” helium said.
Way forward
Cadaver absorption is the important measurement successful expanding the fig of organs made available, helium said, stressing the value of cadaver absorption teams to support brain-dead donors and guarantee aseptic precautions.
Dr. Paul Ramesh added that since galore centres execute liver and kidney transplants, organs often question shorter distances. “Considering the ischemic time, determination are definite logistical issues for teams retrieving and transporting bosom and lungs. This includes transportation, aerial entree to places, arsenic good arsenic outgo for logistics. This besides limits the usage of bully organs arsenic the donor squad should beryllium capable to scope the infirmary wrong the organ ischemic time. Once encephalon decease occurs, the bosom and lungs person a lesser quality to past longer times without oxygen,” helium said.
Dr. Senthil Kumar said that organs from places similar Salem, Dharmapuri, Thoothukudi, oregon distant areas whitethorn person constricted entree to commercialized flights and necessitate agelong roadworthy transport. Teams whitethorn request chartered flights oregon helicopters, expanding costs that recipient patients often bear.
Experts stressed the request to support optimal cardiac presumption including acidosis correction and optimal and judicious usage of inotrope.
