Chennai, 6th June 2025: In a historic milestone for Tamil Nadu’s transplant programme, Mr. Vivek (name changed), a 44-year-old patient, received a life-saving kidney transplant through the iORTA system at FIMS Hospital in Coimbatore, achieving the shortest wait time ever recorded in the state’s brain-dead donor transplant history. This milestone not only sets a record in terms of wait time but also exemplifies the transformative power of science, technology, and human compassion in the face of clinical adversity.
Fastest Transplant Ever:
Mr. Vivek, suffering from Stage 5 Chronic Kidney Disease and on dialysis since October 2023, was registered on the state transplant list on April 25, 2025. Within just 9 days, a suitable donor organ was allocated and the transplant was successfully completed on May 4, 2025 — setting a new benchmark in timely, ethical organ access and delivery.
From Rejection to Revival: A Donor Kidney’s Success Story:
The donor organ was retrieved from a 43-year-old brain-dead patient at Erode Medical College and Hospital following a fatal road accident. After five days on a ventilator, his creatinine levels had risen from 1.8 to 7.0 mg/dL, leading all transplant centres in Tamil Nadu to reject the kidney, suspecting organ failure.
Refusing to accept conventional assumptions, the iORTA team adopted a scientific, precision-based assessment protocol, including:
• Virtual Crossmatch
• Frozen Section Biopsy
• Machine Perfusion Testing
These advanced diagnostics confirmed the organ’s viability—transforming what was nearly discarded into a life-saving opportunity.
“When every other centre refused the kidney, we trusted science. With technology, teamwork, and bold decision-making, we transformed a ‘non-usable’ organ into a second chance at life,” said Dr. Prabhu Kanchi, Lead Transplant Nephrologist, iORTA.
Surgical Innovation to Minimize Scarring:
In a technically demanding yet minimally invasive approach, the iORTA surgical team performed an en bloc implantation—a technique where both kidneys, though retrieved separately, were transplanted as a single unit on one side. This eliminated the need for dual incisions, significantly reducing surgical morbidity and preserving cosmetic integrity for the patient. Despite extended ischemia times—10 hours cold and 2.5 hours warm—the transplant was a success, thanks to meticulous surgical planning and execution.
The patient is currently recovering well, with encouraging early graft function and stable vital signs—proof that timely access to transplantation can transcend medical complexity.
A New Benchmark in Transplant Equity and Excellence:
This landmark case highlights the capability of Tamil Nadu’s organ sharing system and the promise of the iORTA platform to revolutionize ethical, timely, and scientific transplant access.
“This is more than a surgery—it’s a symbol of what’s possible when innovation meets empathy. At iORTA, we believe in delivering not just organs, but dignity, hope, and a new lease on life,” added Dr. Prabhu Kanchi.
The iORTA system reaffirm its commitment to equity, innovation, and clinical excellence in transplant care—setting the gold standard for the future of organ donation and transplantation in India and beyond.
