Docs Perform Rare Bilateral Lung Transplant on COVID-19 Patient

Doctors at Chennai’s MGM Healthcare, a multi-speciality hospital, successfully completed a critical bilateral lung transplant on a COVID-19 positive patient, becoming the third in the world and the first-known in Asia to do so.

The transplant was performed on a 48-year-old man from Delhi, who had developed the infection on 8 June. His lungs were severely damaged due to COVID-19 related fibrosis. As he became breathless and oxygen saturation came down, he was put on ventilatory support 12 days later. When his condition continued to worsen, he was airlifted to Chennai.

His health deteriorated despite the ventilator, after which he was put on ECMO support (an advanced life support machine) for more than a month.

Dr Apar Jindal, Clinical Director & Consultant, Lung Transplant, Interventional Pulmonology and Chest Medicine, who was part of the transplant team said,

“Those select patients suffering from COVID pneumonia where all medications and mechanical ventilators fail to show positive results, an early initiation of ECMO support may be a lifesaving modality.  Over time, progression can determine whether the patient improves spontaneously or may be offered the option of lung transplant. Lung transplant may well be the answer to many of the COVID survivors whose lungs are dealing with fibrosis.”

Dr Apar Jindal

Commenting on the procedure, Dr K. R. Balakrishnan, Chairman & Director of Cardiac Sciences and Director of the Heart and Lung Transplant Program at MGM Healthcare, who led the transplant, said, “We were initially in a dilemma when his case was referred to us. But as doctors, we are taught to prioritise the patient’s overall health over anything else. Keeping this in mind, we decided to proceed with the surgery. We are happy for the patient as the transplanted lungs are working well.”

The transplant was performed on 27 August, and the patient is doing fine in the hospital transplant ICU.