November 4, 2026: MGM Healthcare, Chennai, has successfully averted a lung transplant for a 15-month-old boy from Russia suffering from multisystem Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH), a rare disorder causing severe lung damage and respiratory failure. Airlifted to Chennai for a bilateral lung transplant, the child had extensive cystic lung disease and recurrent bilateral pneumothorax.
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| (2nd from left) Dr. Suresh Rao K. G., Co-Director of the Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support and Cardiac Critical Care; Dr. K. R. Balakrishnan, Director, Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support; Dr. R K R Noveen Davidson, Senior Consultant, Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon and Heart Transplant |
After exploring alternatives, the hospital’s multidisciplinary team performed bullectomy, repeated chest drain procedures and thoracoscopic atypical lung resection to remove diseased lung tissue. Following intensive treatment and monitoring, his respiratory condition improved significantly, and he no longer requires transplantation. The child underwent prolonged hospitalisation from May to September 2026, including mechanical ventilation and multiple surgical interventions.
The team was led by Dr. K. R. Balakrishnan, Director, Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support, and Dr. Suresh Rao K. G., Co-Director of the Institute and Cardiac Critical Care. Dr. Balakrishnan emphasised the importance of continuous clinical reassessment and multidisciplinary decisions before irreversible procedures.
Dr. Suresh Rao highlighted that the recovery of the child’s own lungs made transplantation unnecessary, reinforcing that knowing when not to transplant is as important as having the expertise to perform it.
The achievement reflects MGM Healthcare’s multidisciplinary expertise and commitment to exploring every viable treatment option.
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