Lesser-known organ transplants offer new hope for patients

The doctor said that uterus transplantation represents a huge advance in reproductive medicine and holds immense potential for women born without a uterus or who had their uterus removed due to medical issues or who face infertility.

Lesser-known organ transplants offer new hope for patients

FARIDABAD : Organ transplantation is a miracle of medical science that saves thousands of lives each year in India. Transplanting of organs like the heart, liver, kidney, and lungs has become commonplace. However, many lesser-known organ transplants, like that of intestines, uterus, hand, pancreas, skin and even face, are now offering new hope to patients. *This was said by Dr. Tanmay Pandya, Head of Dept. and Director – Nephrology & Renal Transplantation, Sarvodaya Hospital, Sector-8, Faridabad.

Talking about various kinds of organ transplants that are not as well known , Dr. Tanmay Pandya said : “Not many people realize that intestines can also be transplanted. This can be a lifesaver for individuals suffering from severe gastrointestinal disorders or intestines damaged in accidents. An intestinal transplant involves the replacement of a patient's diseased or dysfunctional intestine with a healthy one from a deceased donor. It is often performed in conjunction with a transplant of other organs like the liver or pancreas in cases of multi-organ failure. Though highly challenging due to the complexity of the human digestive system, intestinal transplants offer a new lease of life for patients who otherwise face a grim future.”

The doctor said that uterus transplantation represents a huge advance in reproductive medicine and holds immense potential for women born without a uterus or who had their uterus removed due to medical issues or who face infertility. Dr. Tanmay Pandya said: “Uterus transplant involves the transfer of a healthy uterus from a living or deceased donor to the recipient. This allows women who previously could not conceive or carry a pregnancy to term to have a chance at giving birth. The procedure is highly complex but successful cases have already been reported in the world, marking a huge step forward in redefining the boundaries of motherhood.”

Face transplantation is a boon for people struggling with severe facial disfigurement resulting from trauma, burns, or congenital conditions. Dr. Tanmay Pandya said: “The transplantation of a donor's face, including the underlying muscles and blood vessels, allows recipients not only to regain a more natural appearance but also to experience improvements in speech, breathing, and sensory perception. The surgery is extremely challenging, demanding a balance between immune suppression and rejection prevention. As medical science advances, face transplantation can reshape the lives of those who have long suffered from the social and psychological challenges of a disfigured face.”

Hand transplants are life-changing for people who have lost both their hands in accidents. Said Dr. Tanmay Pandya: “Hand transplantation goes beyond mere aesthetics; it restores functionality, independence, and quality of life of an individual. The procedure involves connecting bones, blood vessels, muscles, tendons, and nerves to enable the transplanted hand to regain movement and sensation. Immunosuppression is a concern, and patients must undergo extensive rehabilitation to retrain their brains and bodies to use the newly transplanted hand effectively.”

Pancreas transplantation offers a new ray of hope for patients of severe diabetes. “In this, a healthy pancreas from a deceased donor is transplanted into a person whose pancreas is not functioning properly. The most common reason for this transplant is to treat type 1 diabetes mellitus. Pancreas transplantation is generally performed simultaneously with kidney transplantation in diabetic patients who suffer from kidney failure. The transplanted pancreas help generate insulin. A few centers in India are already performing this rare transplant,” said Dr. Tanmay Pandya.

“Organ transplantation continues to astound us with its life-altering potential. As science and medicine advance, these lesser-known transplants may very well become more mainstream, offering hope and healing to countless lives,” he added.

About Sarvodaya Hospital, Sector 8, Faridabad

Sarvodaya Hospital is spread across 4.25 acres with 500 beds, including 109 ICU beds and 9 OTs. The hospital has set benchmarks in super-specialty care with its path-breaking work over the past 30 years. Today, it is recognized as one of the top healthcare destinations in NCR providing super-specialty services in Cancer Care & Bone Marrow Transplant, Nuclear Medicine and PET-CT, Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Orthopedics & Robotic Joint Replacement, Neurosciences, Cardiology, Cardio-Thoracic & Vascular Surgery, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Urology, Dialysis & Kidney Transplant, ENT & Cochlear Implant, Asthma & Lungs and Gastroenterology & GI Surgery.