KMCH hosts India’s first Organ Transplant Conference

The Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital organized the 1st National Conference on ‘Imaging and Intervention in Organ Transplantation’. As many as 300 delegates were part of the conference.

The conference is the first of its kind aimed to converge various physicians across the country under one umbrella to educate and update on the transplant technologies and surgical techniques

The inaugural of the conference was presided by the lighting of the lamp headed by  Dr.Thavamani D Palaniswami, Vice Chairman, KMCH accompanied by Dr. Nalla G Palaniswami, Chairman, Dr. Arun N Palaniswami, Executive Director, guest Dr. K. R. Balakrishnan Director – Institute of Heart & Lung Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices, MGM Healthcare, Chennai, Dr Mathew Cherian, Chief, Dept. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, KMCH, and Dr. K. Venkatesh Course Director, Lead Consultant – Division of Abdominal & Transplant Imaging.

Welcoming the gathering, Mathew Cherian stated that the conference being the first of the kind on the global destination remarks the vast growth of organ transplants across the nation and globe. Meanwhile, he also added that in this regard, KMCH is set to initiate a new society in Imaging and Organ Transplant, headed by Dr. Shyamkumar, Professor of Radiology, Christian Medical College, Vellore and Dr. Venkatesh as the general secretary of the society.

Dr. Nalla G Palaniswami felicitated Dr. K. R. Balakrishnan with a memento followed the presidential address. He expressed his greatest gratitude for Dr Balakrishnan stating “He is the savior of my life”. Having visited him more than a couple of times, life brought Dr. Nalla G Palaniswami an unexpected twist where Dr Balakrishnan turned to be his savior. He added that during the critical stages of his life being severely affected by Covid-19, Dr Balakrishnan along with the KMCH team worked spontaneously in executing the best treatment. In due course, Dr. Nalla G Palaniswami received the ECMO treatment from Dr. Balakrishnan who also aided him with the new ventilator techniques. The implemented techniques aided in providing the best cure for many of the covid-19 patients at KMCH during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Dr. Arun N Palaniswami addressed the achievements of KMCH being the lead hospital in Coimbatore as well as the country in organ transplants. Alongside expressed his pleasure to share the dais with the esteemed physician.

Balakrishnan addressed the gathering with a brief note on the various developments in the organ transplant sector over the last few decades. The renal transplant was the only know organ transplant then, which later moved to the introduction of the heart, liver and other organs. In this context, he appreciated Tamil Nadu is the first state to start an organized organ donation and transplant which later was implemented by the other states as well. Alongside, he highlighted the beneficial areas of Radiology and the existing advanced techniques.