Chandigarh’s PGIMER touches a new high in organ donations, technological advancements

For the second year running, PGI was adjudged the best public sector hospital for its services toward the promotion of cadaver organ donation by the Union ministry of health.

From getting the health excellence award to getting the highest organ donations in a year, the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh had many standout achievements in 2017.

PGIMER received 42 cadaver donations in 2017, as compared to 27 last year, and this is the highest yet. (iStock Photo)

PGIMER’s initiative for promotion of eye donation was conferred the ‘Health Excellence Award’ for Leadership and Management in Healthcare at the 41st World Hospital Congress organised by International Hospital Federation in Taiwan.

42 cadaver donations, 11 green corridors

PGIMER received 42 cadaver donations in 2017, as compared to 27 last year, and this is the highest yet. The institute organised 11 green corridors, which is also the new high for the institute. For the second year running, PGI was adjudged the best public sector hospital for its services toward the promotion of cadaver organ donation by the Union ministry of health.

It became the first institute in this region to conduct the lung transplant, however, the patient could not survive.

In a meeting of the Delegated Investment Board of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Rs 1,475 crore was approved for three major projects — Advanced Mother and Child Centre, Advanced Neurosciences Centre and Satellite Centre of PGIMER Chandigarh at Una in Himachal Pradesh.

PGI advances in robotic surgery

Till date 984 robotic surgeries have been performed at the institute. The department of urology performed 803, gynaecology 59, ENT 118 and paediatric surgery 4 robotic surgeries.

The department of paediatric surgery has started doing paediatric robotic surgery where the first case was of 11-year-old who had obstruction in his kidneys.

New facilities and procedures

The advanced Microbial Research Facility was inaugurated on the ground floor of Research Block A of PGIMER.

PGI has started a new procedure - transarterial radio-embolization (TARE) with Ytrrium 90 (Y 90)- for treating inoperable liver cancer. Paediatric Surgery Skill Lab was inaugurated to provide the residents the opportunity to train and practice for laparoscopic surgery.

For first time in India, PGIMER Chandigarh introduced three-year degree course on Medical and Scientific Photography/Imaging under the department of clinical photography. This is the only course of its kind in Asia.

PGI has become the first Institute in the country to provide stents and orthopaedic implants at a cheaper rate for the benefit of the patients.

Publications in The Lancet

Global Action Fund for Fungal Infection (GAFFI), where Medical Mycology Division of Department of Medical Microbiology, PGIMER is a party, co-ordinated a ‘first of its kind’ series, published in the The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

PGIMER study published in the Lancet proved that Ketamine, a common anaesthetic drug used all over the world, is not effective in postoperative delirium prevention in elderly.