Rela Hospital completed a bilateral lung transplant on Shanmugapriya, an 18-year-old girl from Tuticorin, giving her a new lease on life after years of battling Post-TB Bilateral Bronchiectasis, a severe condition caused by tuberculosis. Shanmugapriya, who contracted tuberculosis at the age of eight, had been oxygen-dependent for the last two years, requiring continuous 24x7 support before the surgery.
The lungs for the transplant were reportedly harvested from a brain-dead donor in Thanjavur and transported to Rela Hospital. The complex surgery took approximately four hours and was performed by a medical team led by Dr. Srinath Vijayasekaran, Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Heart & Lung Transplantation, and Dr. Aishwarya Rajkumar, Clinical Lead - Transplant Pulmonology, at Rela Hospital.
Prof. Mohamed Rela, Chairman and Managing Director of Rela Hospital, highlighted the challenges of the procedure, noting the severity of the girl's pulmonary hypertension, which made the surgery even more complex. "Performing a bilateral lung transplant is always a significant challenge, and this case was even more difficult due to the critical condition of the patient before the surgery," he said. "We are thrilled that Shanmugapriya is on her way to recovery and will be able to continue her education, which was interrupted by her illness."
Dr. Srinath Vijayasekaran explained the severity of her condition, recounting how Shanmugapriya had suffered from frequent infections for years and required escalating levels of oxygen support as her health worsened. "A transplant was her only option, but finding a compatible donor took two years," he said. "We are grateful we were able to find the right match and perform the surgery successfully."
Dr. Aishwarya Rajkumar added that the girl had been bedridden for nearly 18 months with her condition deteriorating to the point where even eating caused breathing difficulties. "Our team worked tirelessly to stabilise her condition and successfully complete the transplant," she said. "She can now walk, eat, and live a normal life, which is a huge milestone."