Indian Transplant Newsletter Vol. VII Issue NO.: 22/23 (Feb-Jun 2006)
Print ISSN 0972 - 1568

Supermom to the rescue

Indian Transplant Newsletter.
Vol. VII Issue NO.: 22/23 (Feb-Jun 2006)
Print ISSN 0972 - 1568
Print PDF


This is one act that even Superman could not be able to beat. It was supermom Preeti Iswar, who came to the rescue of her daughter, Meenu Nanwani, and saved her life. Meenu is the principal of Singapore International School in Jakarta. She was in good health until she had an attack of jaundice which was diagnosed as hepatitis. Her condition deteriorated and she was taken to the National University Hospital, where it was discovered that she had acute liver failure. A cadaveric donation was not an option as Meenu was not a Singapore national. the only life saving  option was  to find a matching live donor.

Meenu’ father, husband and sister were ruled out because they were of different blood group. Preeti, Meenu’s mother offered to donate her liver, but doctors initially felt that at 59, she was too old to undergo such a major surgery. However since Preeti was in good health, she was finally tested and found suitable to donate a part of her liver to her daughter ( the liver has the capacity  to regenerate).

After the Ethics committee in Singapore cleared Preeti as a donor, Dr K C  Tan, liver transplant surgeon and his team performed the liver transplant on  June 15, 2006, in a procedure  lasting  12 hours. The transplant was a success. Meenu recovered in two weeks, was back on her feet and even began taking care of her mother, who was still recovering from some complication after donor surgery. After a month, Preeti was back to her routine as well.

 

Preeti Ishwar’s gesture, aided by Dr Tan and his team, made hers the oldest loving liver donation that was successful. This gives an impetus to the live liver transplantation programme for people with  liver failure.

 

 

 

 

 

 


To cite : Shroff S, Navin S. Supermom to the rescue. Indian Transplant Newsletter Vol. VII Issue NO.: 22/23 (Feb-Jun 2006).
Available at:
https://www.itnnews.co.in/indian-transplant-newsletter/issue22/23/Take-heart-340.htm

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