So Many Organs, So Few Used 

A seminar stresses the urgent need of 
harvesting organs from cadavers, reports Biplab Das 

Thanks to him, I got a new lease on life," recounted Dr. Subrata Mukherjee, recipient of a kidney from an anonymous small businessman with a large heart. She was sharing all that she went through since she was diagnosed with kidney failure, with the audience at a recent seminar on 'Kidney Transplantation and its Future'. The seminar was organised by the nephrology department of SSKM Hospital at the general lecture theatre of the hospital. 

Kidneys flush out toxic chemicals from the blood, thereby purifying it. "Though we have two kidneys, one is enough to clean the blood," said Dr. Avijit Taraphder, head, department of nephrology, SSKM Hospital. When both kidneys fail, it is termed end-stage renal disease. The immediate medical aid is dialysis. "But dialysis is expensive and many patients cannot tolerate the stress of constant dialysis," said Taraphder. "What is more, it does not cure the disease." 

Kidney transplantation is a better option. "Since 1994, 155 kidneys have been transplanted at SSKM Hospital," said Prof. A. K. Maiti, director, Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research (IPGME&R). "The survival rate of the patients who have undergone transplantation is close to 70 per cent." 

In kidney transplantation, the malfunctioning kidneys are left inside the body, explained Taraphder. "Instead, a healthy kidney from a donor is planted inside the patient's body." But this process too has a risk. The recipient's body treats the donor's kidney as a foreign body and the immune system attacks it. "To lull the immune cells, immunosuppressive drugs are administered," Taraphder said. "These drugs, if used in excess, can have harmful side effects." 

If the donor is closely related to the patient, chances of a strong immune response are reduced. "Thus, a long regimen of immunosuppressive drugs is not needed," said Taraphder. However, in recent years, there has been a shortage of donors. "This problem could be overcome if we adopt cadaver transplantation," said he. 

In cadaver transplantation, the organ to be transplanted is taken from a person who is brain-dead. According to Taraphder, each cadaver can yield at least three transplantable organs. Instead, most cadavers that are donated are dissected in anatomy classes. 

To make cadaver transplantation a reality, mass awareness is necessary. But more important, the existing law that regulates the transfer of organs from donors to patients must be simplified. It will facilitate the harvesting of kidneys and other organs from unrelated donors and cadavers. "Human interest should be put above even the law when it's a question of saving a life," said Prof. C. R. Maiti, director of medical education, government of West Bengal.