Thane woman becomes Mumbai’s 17th cadaver donor this year

The relatives of a 57-year-old woman from Thane who was battling end-stage kidney failure donated her liver, making this the 17th cadaver donation reported in Mumbai this year.

The relatives of a 57-year-old woman from Thane who was battling end-stage kidney failure donated her liver, making this the 17th cadaver donation reported in Mumbai this year.

The donor was herself registered for a cadaveric kidney transplant at Jupiter Hospital in Thane a few weeks ago.

However, she developed a stroke, which led to irreversible brain damage.

“As the family was aware about cadaver donation, they agreed to donate her liver readily,” said Anirudh Kulkarni, transplant coordinator at the hospital.

On Friday, her liver was retrieved and transplanted into a 53-year-old woman from Malad, who had end-stage liver failure.

Unfortunately, the recipient succumbed a day after the transplant surgery.

Across the world, 85 to 90% cadaver liver transplants are successful. “This was an unexpected outcome,” said a senior doctor from the hospital.

Last year, Mumbai recorded 41 cadaver transplants, a majority of which were facilitated at private hospitals.

Experts said the lack of cadaver identification by public hospitals is responsible for fewer donations, while the waiting list is only swelling.

On the other hand, public hospitals at any given time would have at least four to five cadavers in their intensive care units.