Fortis Jalandhar performs region’s first lung retrieval; 69-year-old donor gives new life to multiple patients across India

• Two simultaneous green corridors enable swift transport of lungs to Artemis Hospital, Gurugram and Liver to DMC Ludhiana

JALANDHAR: In a remarkable milestone, Fortis Hospital Jalandhar successfully facilitated the first-ever lung retrieval in the region, following a multi-organ donation from a 69-year-old male donor. The organs retrieved from the brain-dead donor - two lungs, one liver and two kidneys gave second life to critically ill patients across Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi-NCR.

The donor, a resident of Jalandhar, had sustained a severe head injury following a traffic accident after being hit by a two-wheeler. Despite the best medical efforts, he was declared brain dead. In a profound act of generosity, his family consented to donate his organs, giving multiple recipients a second chance at life.

Under the coordinated efforts of NOTTO, the following organ allocations were made:

• Lungs – Retrieved for the first time in Jalandhar, transplanted into a 54-year-old man suffering from end-stage lung disease at Artemis Hospital, Gurugram.
• Liver – Allocated to Dayanand Medical College (DMC) Hospital, Ludhiana and transplanted into a 58-year-old man suffering chronic liver disease.
• Both Kidneys - Transplanted at Fortis Hospital Jalandhar into a 25-year-old young male suffering from permanent kidney failure and uncontrolled hypertension.

To meet the critical time-sensitive requirements of transplant logistics, Fortis Jalandhar, with support from the District Administration and Traffic Police, activated two green corridors simultaneously:

1. Fortis Jalandhar to DMC Ludhiana - Distance of approx. 70 km, covered in nearly one hour.

2. Fortis Jalandhar to Amritsar Airport, for airlifting lungs to IGI Airport, Delhi, and onward to Artemis Hospital, Gurugram (covering approx. 80 km)

This high-precision coordination ensured the harvested organs reached recipient centres within optimal clinical time window, enabling successful transplantation.

This complex multi-organ retrieval and transplant involved the combined expertise of various teams including the Nephrology & Transplant team - Dr Rajeev Bhatia, Dr Ajay Marwaha, Dr Onkar Singh and Dr Harpreet Singh; Neurosurgery, Anaesthesia & Critical Care team consisting of Dr Tushar Arora, Dr Shubha Sharma, Dr Sheetal Garg, Dr Radhika Dhawan, Dr

Pardeep Dhillon, Dr Jaspreet Kaur. Dr Sunita Consultant Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Dr. Shweta Bharadwaj – Psychologist and Ms. Manpreet Raju - Transplant Coordinator.

Giving details of the case, Dr Rajeev Bhatia, Director & Senior Consultant, Nephrology, Fortis Hospital Jalandhar said, “This is a landmark moment for Jalandhar, not just for our hospital but for the entire region. Facilitating a multi-organ donation, including the first-ever lung retrieval in the city, reflects the growing capabilities of our medical ecosystem. The donor family’s courageous decision has given a second chance at life to multiple patients, including a 25-year-old young man battling irreversible kidney failure. Such cases reinforce the critical importance of organ donation and the life-transforming impact it can have.”

Dr Tushar Arora, Senior Consultant, Neurosurgeon, Fortis Hospital Jalandhar said, “Declaring brain death and guiding a family through the organ donation process is always emotionally challenging. Yet this family showed extraordinary strength during an unimaginably difficult time. Their consent made it possible to retrieve vital organs and save several lives. This case also marks an important medical milestone as the first lung retrieval in Jalandhar. The seamless coordination between our critical care, neurosurgery, transplant, and external retrieval teams, along with the timely creation of green corridors, was key to ensuring that every organ reached the recipient hospital within the optimal window.”

Dr Ankush Mehta, Facility Director, Fortis Hospital Jalandhar said, “This milestone sets a new benchmark for Fortis Jalandhar’s transplant and critical care capabilities. Achieving the region’s first lung retrieval highlights our commitment to advancing complex medical care and strengthening organ donation awareness in Punjab. We remain dedicated to building cutting-edge programmes that offer hope and healing to patients across the region.”