News Desk, News Nation 360 : The youngest paediatric renal transplant in Eastern India has been performed by the Department of Renal Sciences at The Calcutta Medical Research Institute (CMRI), a division of C.K. Birla Hospitals, marking a significant advancement in nephrology and renal transplantation. Adidev, a 6-month-old baby diagnosed with a genetic disorder leading to kidney failure, was brought to Dr Rajiv Sinha in a critical condition. Due to his young age, a kidney transplant was the only viable treatment option. Over the next two years, Adidev received specialized care to prepare him for the transplant. After careful evaluation and counselling about the risks, Adidev's mother selflessly volunteered to be a living kidney donor.
The successful transplant surgery took place in February 2024. Two young children with severe renal diseases underwent these intricate surgeries, which is a historic accomplishment for the hospital and demonstrates its dedication to improving paediatric care and transplantation medicine. Leading the surgical team were Dr Pradip Chakrabarti, a transplant surgeon, and Dr Rajiv Sinha, a paediatric nephrologist; other members included Dr Amlan Chakraborty, a urologist and donor surgeon; Dr Satarupa Mukherjee, a paediatric intensivist; Dr Subir Basuthakur, a head of the department of anaesthesia; and Dr Subhro Seal, a transplant associate. Emphasizing the intricate challenges of a paediatric kidney transplant, Dr Pradip Chakrabarti, HOD - Renal Sciences & Senior Consultant – Transplant Surgeon, Department of Renal Science, CMRI stated that the surgical technical challenges of an adult kidney being transplanted in a constrained space of the abdomen, the mismatched size of the vessels of the child compared to the adult kidney, the prolonged anaesthesia during the pre & post operative period to restrict & maintain the normal child state of movements were a few of the major points of concern. As luck would have it, the patient suffered small gaping wounds as soon as the patient's sedation was lowered & he was a little active. They had the entire surgical & anaesthesia team equipped to make a complete surgical repair successfully.
Pabitra Kar, a previously healthy 7-year-old girl, experienced increased urination and decreased appetite. Tests revealed advanced kidney disease (Focal Segmental Glomerulonephritis). After evaluation, she underwent a complex kidney transplant surgery in February 2024 due to limited space in her abdomen. The surgery involved attaching the donor's reconstructed blood vessels to Pabitra's larger blood vessels and managing her circulation after surgery. Despite the challenges, the transplant was successful, with Pabitra showing good urine output and improving kidney function. Dr Pradip Chakrabarti stated that her family came in 2023 after deciding to pursue a kidney transplant due to CMRI's reputation for performing the most successful paediatric transplant procedures in East India. The medical team was encouraged to proceed by Pabitra's family's optimism and her grandmother's resolve to donate her kidney despite her fragile and serious health condition. Subsequently, a multidisciplinary clearance was secured for the same. Pabitra miraculously emerged from the hospital smiling and walking with her father on the seventh day following her surgery; this is evidence of her tenacity, the careful attention to detail she received, and her family's unwavering love.
Pic - Krishnendu Kundu
