A Kolhapur-based radiologist Santosh Sarudkar decided to donate his mother's vital organs after doctors declared her brain dead.

Santosh's Mother was immediately shifted to Aster Aadhar Hospital for losing mobility of her right leg and hand. Doctors found the blood clot in her brain after the initial tests and moved her to surgery. They said that "her brain was dead and no further treatment is possible."

After this, the 63-year-old woman's family decided to donate her organs giving life to five patients.

"The hospital does not have permission to undertake organ harvesting procedures. However, we contacted the government authorities and special permission was granted. The procedures to remove kidneys, liver and eyes started at around 9.30pm and lasted till 2 am.The organs were immediately taken to Pune-based hospitals where they were transplanted saving lives of five patients," said Ulhas Damle, managing director of the hospital. For the first time, any hospital from the city has carried out organ removal procedure.

Doctors added that "the liver parts were transplanted in three patients admitted to Pune-based Jehangir Hospital, Aditya Birla Hospital, and Sahyadri Hospitals. One person from Kolhapur who was admitted in the Pune-based hospital received retina from the eyes donated by Sarudkars mother."

"We successfully transplanted the cadaver liver within six hours of retrieval from the brain-dead donor. A recipient is a 42-year-old man from Pune who is a farmer by occupation. He had been suffering from an end stage liver disease for last eight months. This is the first donation of vital organs from Kolhapur which shows that people even in small towns also come forward for organ donation if they are counseled properly. There were certain challenges but we are now braced enough to tackle them," said liver transplant surgeon Bipin Vibhute of Sahyadri hospital.

Also Read: Girl commits suicide, urges to donate organs

BY M.DIVYA SRI