Pancreas and kidney transplant patient delivers baby boy at Apollo

Mysore/Mysuru: For the first time in Apollo Group of Hospitals, a Simultaneous Pancreas and Kidney Transplant (SPKT) patient delivered a baby boy at Apollo BGS Hospitals in city on June 12. 

The patient, 35-year-old Mekhala, a juvenile diabetic and with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) undergoing dialysis, her only priority was to have a healthy life without any complications. It was only with the hope and support from the Nephrologist, Transplant Surgeon and the Gynaecologist, that she delivered a healthy baby boy of 2.5 kgs on Saturday.

This is the first case in India where a patient after a SPKT has been able to conceive naturally and deliver a healthy baby while establishing the fact that SPKT can restore fertility in patients with diabetes and end-stage renal disease, and as such, successful pregnancy outcome can be achieved.

Dr. Suresh Raghavaiah, Consultant – Transplant Surgeon, said: “We had to alter the medications to support this pregnancy while at the same time prevent the organ rejection which started three months before the pregnancy. Once receiving the double organ transplants, we put both the baby and organs at risk, so this needed a lot of planning and treatment by the integrated multidisciplinary team including the transplant team, nephrologist, endocrinologist and obstetrician who trouble-shooted all the problems during the course of treatment and delivery.”

Performing the caesarean section, Dr. B.P.  Anjali, Consultant Gynaecologist, said: “It was a closely monitored case and an uncomplicated pre- gnancy reaching 40 weeks full term, which is rare in post-transplant patients. As the baby developed distress, we had to perform a C-section. Both mother and baby are healthy and doing good.”

N.G. Bharateesha Reddy, Vice-President and Unit Head, Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru, informing about the case, said: “We are extremely thrilled with the successful outcome of this pregnancy which is first of its kind in the country and in the Apollo group of hospitals. There is barely any awareness about the Simultaneous Pancreas – Kidney Transplant (SPKT) in this region and it is important to educate the patients about SPKT which can be life saving for many. We are the only licensed Organ Transplant Centre (OTC) in this region and Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru, offers state-of-the-art technology with the comprehensive healthcare services. We encourage more patients and organ donors to come forward and register for organ transplants.”