Delhi/NCR: A Green Corridor was created to transport lungs from a hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat to Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket in Delhi to perform a life-saving lung transplant surgery on a 54-year-old man suffering from COPD. The lungs were seamlessly transported covering a distance of 950 KMs in 3 hours.

A green corridor was created between the Civil Hospital and the airport at Ahmedabad, and then between the IGI International Airport and Max Super Speciality Hospital at Saket in Delhi. An ambulance waiting at the airport speedily transported the donor lungs to Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket.

Given the criticality of an early transplant for success, safe passage was facilitated by authorities. This ensured the retrieved lungs to be transplanted within the critical eight-hour chest to chest period.

Swift action by the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation. National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), Gujarat Police and Delhi Police ensured that the lungs reached the hospital in timely manner.

The recipient Gyan Chandra, a resident of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, was suffering from Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for many years. The donated lungs were from a 44-year-old man from Ahmedabad who was declared brain dead after brain haemorrhage.

"The harvested lungs were flown down to Delhi in clockwork precision. The patient is known case of COPD and he urgently required lung transplant. We welcome this decision by the donor family to have stepped forward and agreed to donating several vital organs which will provide a new lease of life to critically ill patients,” Dr Rahul Chandola, Associate Director, Adult CTVS, Heart & Lung Transplant Specialist, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket said.

A team of 15 doctors was led by Dr Rahul Chandola operated for over 9 hours to successfully carry out the bilateral lung (both lungs) transplant.

Expressing gratitude & emphasising the need for more organ donations, Dr Chandola said, “We remain indebted to the family of the donor who decided to serve critical patients even in their time of loss. Organ donation can save so many precious lives and I really hope that everyone embraces this cause. We would also like to thank all authorities concerned like NOTTO, Gujarat Police and Delhi Police for taking swift action and making this possible.”