“SOMAH Solution- to preserve donated organs”; developed by Indian origin doctor Dr. Hemant Thatte
An Indian origin doctor, Dr. Hemant Thatte developed a 21-chemical solution known as SOMAH Solution that could preserve a donated organ for up to a week before a transplant.
- Dr. Hemant Thatte is a senior cardiovascular surgeon at HarvardUniversity.
What is SOMAH Solution?
SOMAH Solution in Sanskrit means elixir of immortality.
- The new preservative that is a mixture of 21 chemicals, has the potential to store the heart (and other organs) for up to 7 days.
- A research paper published in the medical journal Circulation in October 2009 showed cells of organs preserved in SOMAH had a lower rate of death than in another preservation solution.
- The biggest advantage of SOMAH is that it can be used at room temperatures.
Presently, hearts and lungs need to be transplanted within 4-6 hours of being recovered from a brain-dead donor, the liver within 8 hours and kidneys within a bit more than 24 hours. In addition, the available organs cannot be transported long-distance for transplant and have to be made available locally.
Month: Current Affairs - February, 2014
Category: Awards, Honours & Persons in News