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A group of physicians at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital have successfully performed the country’s first-ever cadaveric kidney transplant from a medically brain-dead patient.
The donor, Sarah Islam, was suffering from a genetic disease and recently underwent surgery. Afterwards, her condition worsened and she was admitted to ICU.
The 20-year-old, who was a first-year student at a private university, was declared brain dead at around 6pm on Wednesday. Afterwards, her mother approved the transplant of Sarah’s kidneys and corneas to patients who needed them.
Her kidneys were donated to two female patients in their 30s who have been undergoing treatment at BSMMU Hospital and the Kidney Foundation Hospital in Mirpur. The recipient at BSMMU was 34-year-old Shamima Islam.
The lead of the operation was Renal Transplantation Surgeon Professor Dr Habibur Rahman Dulal of BSMMU’s Urology Department. He said that the operation procedure started once Sarah was declared brain dead.
As soon as they received the cross-match report, they started the operation at 9:30pm and it ended at 4:15am, he said.
Dr Habibur said Shamima is responding well and the kidney has started the urination process. She received Sarah’s left kidney while the other patient received the right one.
Kidney Foundation Hospital President Prof Dr Harun Ur Rashid said the patient at the foundation will need some time before the kidney starts functioning properly but so far, she is responding well.
The Kidney Foundation patient is 37-year-old Hasina Akter, who was at the kidney dialysis stage for the last four years. Prof Dr Khurshidul Alam and Prof Dr Ruhul Amin Rubel led the operation there.
“We generally do one live-saving kidney transplant operation here every Wednesday. But we prefer to go for additional operation because every life matters,” Dr Harun added.
Sarah also donated her both corneas and those are in preservation at BSMMU. It will be given to the persons who need them most soon, officials said.
