In a groundbreaking achievement for Indian healthcare, two premier hospitals in Coimbatore—GEM Hospital and Sri Ramakrishna Hospital—successfully carried out the nation’s first inter-hospital swap liver transplant. The milestone procedure, conducted on July 3, 2024, saved the lives of two men suffering from end-stage liver disease and set a new benchmark for medical collaboration in the country.
The recipients—a 59-year-old man from Salem treated at GEM Hospital and a 53-year-old man from Tiruppur under the care of Sri Ramakrishna Hospital—both required urgent liver transplants. While their respective wives were willing to donate, medical tests found them incompatible as direct donors. The solution came through a "liver swap" transplant, where each wife donated her liver to the other patient, bypassing the compatibility issue.
“This method significantly expands the donor pool and gives new hope to families facing organ mismatches,” said hospital authorities.
The two surgeries were performed simultaneously at the hospitals, which are located just five kilometers apart. The complex operation demanded meticulous coordination between surgical teams, real-time communication, and special clearance from the Tamil Nadu State Transplant Authority for safe organ transport.
Dr. C. Palanivelu, founder-chairman of GEM Hospitals, highlighted the legal, ethical, and logistical complexities of the procedure. Dr. R. Sundar of Sri Ramakrishna Hospital added that the collaborative effort not only reduced costs for the patients but also showcased the power of innovation under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 2014.
Both patients are now recovering well. The procedures were conducted under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme. Medical experts view the successful inter-hospital transplant as a model for future collaborations across India, potentially transforming liver transplant accessibility nationwide.