30-yr-old woman gets double lung transplant

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A legal researcher by profession named Kritika, aged 30, was suffering from bronchiectasis since childhood, which severely affected her quality of life. She suffered from repeated hospitalisations throughout her life due to persistent lung infections, making her oxygen and BiPAP-dependent. But now, Kritika’s life has been transformed, after Bengaluru doctors performed a double lung transplantation.

According to reports from 2020, only about 200 such procedures have been conducted in India, and Kritika’s case is one among them. Aster RV Hospital has successfully performed a double lung transplant on this 30-year-old woman.

According to multiple doctor evaluations and recommendations, a lung transplantation surgery was the best option to significantly improve her quality of life and life expectancy, as she was at a high risk of succumbing to severe lung infection. Very few facilities offer this procedure in India, as it is a complex surgery that requires specialised technical knowhow and training. Lung transplantation surgery is usually conducted through deceased organ donation, making it a challenge for those in need.

As Dr. Sandeep Attawar, Chair & Director of Thoracic organ transplants and Assist devices at KIMS Heart & Lung Transplant Institute explained, “Kritika is a special girl, blessed with a caring family. She has the zest for life, which this crippling lung condition almost threatened to cut short. Her surgery and recovery were expected to be a complex endeavour, especially due to the double challenge of a sensitized immune system and her physical frailty. She overcame all this with grit, determination, and the desire to live a normal healthy life”

Bronchiectasis is a condition of the lung where there is damage and resultant scar tissue in the bronchi, which leads to mucus build up in the lungs. In Kritika’s case, this developed as early as childhood. This disease unfortunately cannot be cured completely, but can be managed.

Upon receiving a donor call which was a match, she was admitted to Aster RV hospital and she underwent a double lung transplant which took about 6 hours.

After surgery, she was shifted to the transplant ICU for further monitoring. Providing such complex and comprehensive care under strict isolation precautions is a huge challenge. Covid-19, still lurking around the corner, makes the job more challenging.

Kritika was put on post-transplant care and has recovered smoothly post the surgery.

“I was scared about the surgery but realized it was the best option for my long-term health and the doctors were reassuring and supportive. Throughout the experience, the nursing staff and doctors went out of their way to make me feel supported and taken care of. I am looking forward to going home and living life anew!” said Kritika. She appealed for more people to come forward and register for the donation of organs or opt for the deceased organ donation to give those in need a second chance at life.