The organs of a 69-year-old man, who was declared brain dead after suffering a heart attack, was harvested and donated to a city hospital on Sunday, making it the first multi-organ cadaveric harvesting and donation in the hospital.
T.S.P. Vasudevan, the donor, had suffered a heart attack in his home in Triplicane and was taken to a hospital where he was treated, and later shifted to Kauvery Hospital. “He was doing all right initially, but suffered bleeding in his brain and slipped into a coma,” said his daughter V. Vijayalakshmi.
At the time when doctors at the hospital warned the family that there was a chance of Mr. Vasudevan being declared brain dead, his wife Ramaa Vasudevan and both her children — Vijayalakshmi and Balaji — decided to donate his organs. However, they had to convince a few orthodox members of their extended family on the importance of organ donation.
On Sunday around 4 p.m., Mr. Vasudevan’s organs were harvested.
Aravindan Selvaraj, executive director of Kauvery Hospital, said the liver, both kidneys and eyes were harvested, and while one kidney was used for a transplant at the hospital, the other organs went to other city hospitals. “Many a time, we see that people from traditional and conservative families have reservations about organ donation. But here, the family consented readily. It is heartening to see people from all walks of life beginning to accept organ donation,” he said.
Another donation
Organs were also donated at another city hospital recently. A 48-year-old teacher of a government primary school sustained a serious injury when returning home on her two-wheeler on October 19, a press release from SIMS Hospital Vadapalani said. She was first taken to a local hospital and then shifted to SIMS on October 20. However, she was declared brain dead on October 22.
Her family volunteered to donate her organs. The liver, kidney, heart valves and eyes were harvested, and while one kidney was transplanted at the hospital on October 23 and the other organs were sent to other city hospitals, the press release said.
