HEALTH

Kidney-pancreas transplant aspects highlighted
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 20 — Various sessions highlighting surgical aspects of kidney-pancreas transplant and bone marrow transplant marked the concluding day of the 12th Annual Conference of the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation here today.

Dr Mohammed Rela from the UK spoke on the prospects of pancreatic transplantation for patients with diabetes. For diabetic patients with kidney failure, he showed that combined kidney and pancreas transplant were successful in ensuring that these patients did not require insulin injections after transplant. Because of complicated surgery, hospitalisation was prolonged, he added.

At the symposium on infections after transplant, Dr Vinay Sakhuja, Head of the Nephrology Department, PGI, pointed out that these patients were predisposed to develop a number of infections, including tuberculosis and viral and fungal infections after transplant.

Dr Sakhuja disclosed that infections were the common cause of death in transplant surgeries in India and were far more common as compared to the West. The spectrum of infections that we encountered was also different from that in the USA or in Europe, he added. For instance, TB was far more common among our patients. He further said systematic fungal infections occurred in 5 to 10 per cent of patients and were associated with a high mortality rate. Since it was difficult to diagnose these infections, treatment got delayed and led to high mortality. The viral infections that contributed to morbidity and mortality were cytomegalovirus infections and infections of the Hepatitis B and C viruses, he added.

He also stressed the role of preventive therapy for these infections. Dr Sakhuja pointed out that certain drugs could prevent the occurrence of these infections and help in good surveillance of these patients. He also stressed the need to keep the immuno-suppressive therapy at a level at which the risk of these infections could be minimised.

Dr Ali Bakran from Liverpool, UK, in his guest lecture on non-heart beating kidney donation, stressed on the need to educate the general public about the importance of organ donation. The relatives had to be convinced that the person had died but timely removal of his organs could help some others live. He also stressed that organs had to be preferably taken out within half an hour, or at the most an hour, of a person’s death. Patients who died in road accidents or suffered a stroke had to be rushed to the hospital at the earliest for this, he added.

Dr Bakran pointed out that kidney, pancreas, lungs and liver were potential organs for these donations. Explaining the process, he said we went ahead only with a patient’s consent. While in the West, the most common was cadaver kidney transplant, in India it was more by live related donors.

He attributed poor response to non-heart beating donations in our country to stiff resistance from relatives on account of social and religious beliefs, besides poor infrastructure and lack of coordination between different departments. He appealed to the general public to support organ donation. He further said such transplants would help save many lives in a country like India, where no long-term dialysis was available. Since the incidence of kidney failure in India was rather high, this kind of organ donation would go a long way in bringing others to life. The success rate of transplants through such donations was 50 per cent cases.

Presiding over the valedictory function, Prof Sakhuja stated that the purpose of organising such scientific deliberations could only be achieved when non-government organisations in the region came forward to promote the concept of brain stem death and organ donation. He called upon the literates in a city like Chandigarh to take a lead in this direction. He said those wishing to become organ donors should keep a signed card on their person, expressing their wish to be donors.

He talked about how organ donors in the West carried a sticker on their driving licences which facilitated the police and the hospital authorities to fulfil his desire. The same could be adopted here, he added. He said an organ donation cell was being created in the Department of Nephrology to disseminate information and promote organ donation. Those desirous of becoming donors can contact at 747585 (extn 261 and 308).

Discussions on liver transplant and Indian paediatric liver transplant series were also held. Dr A.P. Pandey, a urologist from CMC, Vellore said there was a need to recognise the contribution of living related kidney donors, not only by patients and the transplant team but by the community at large. The donor’s sacrifice in prolonging the life of his or her near and dear ones must be appreciated.

Meanwhile, the following were elected as office-bearers of the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation Vice-Presidents. Dr S. Guleria — Dr R.K. Gupta and Dr D.S. Rana; Secretary — Vice President Dr Anant Kumar — Joint Secretary; Dr D.K. Aggrwal; and Treasurer — Dr Anent Shrivastava.

The Five persons who were chosen council members are Dr Jai Parkash, Dr Sanjay K. Aggarwal, Dr Kamal Sud, Dr Sanjeev Anant Kale and Dr Balbir Singh Aulakh. In the meeting, it was decided that the topic of the symposium to be held in Lucknow in 2002 would be Video Demonstration of Surgical Techniques.

120 vie for healthy baby crown
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 20 — One hundred and twenty tiny tots in the arms of their mothers converged on the campus of the VLCC for the healthy baby contest held here today.

Eminent Judges, including a paediatrician (Dr Jyotsna Sachdeva), a gynaecologist (Dr Mangla Dorga), a dermatologist (Dr Vaneeta Gupta) and the INSCOL Director, Mrs Nimrat Gujral, judged the tiny tots in five age-groups.

The criterion for judgement was based on medical (height, weight, vaccination status and feeding practice) and general categories (hygeine and appearance).

Gifts like toy cars, photo frames and baby record books were distributed.

The results:-

Up to 6 months: Sahib 1, Puranjay 2.

6 months to 1 year: Ananya 1, Nipun 2.

1 to one and a half years:- Siya 1, Shria 2.

One and a half to two and a half years: Ashneet 1, Annie 2.

Two and a half to 4 years: Yuvraj 1, Rajeshwari 2.

Ganguly elected NAMS chief
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 20 — Dr N. K. Ganguly, Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Acting Director of PGI, has been elected President of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) in Delhi. He succeeds the Chennai-based Dr Rama Krishna to the prestigious post.

Dr Ganguly becomes the third from the PGI to be elected to the post, the first being Dr P. N. Chhuttani and the second Dr B. K. Sharma. He will take over as the President in the annual meeting of the medical forum, to be held in the last week of March.

Dr Ganguly could not be contacted since he is away to Geneva to attend a meeting of the World Health Organisation.