A first at A'pura Teaching Hospital's Renal Unit

Amila PRABATH WANASINGHE

The operation was performed on August 25 on Lasantha Iresha Karunatille (below) of Sirimapura, Rajangana by a team of doctors led by consultant surgeon Charith Weerasinghe. Picture by Amila Prabath Wanasinghe

Specialist doctors attached to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital's Renal Unit performed a kidney transplant on a patient for the first time in the unit's history on August 25.

The operation performed on Lasantha Iresha Karunatille, 21, of 4th Mile Post, Sirimapura, Rajangana on August 25 night took four and a half hours to complete.

Consultant nephrologist Dr Rajeewa Dassanayake said the patient who suffered acute renal failure underwent dialysis treatment for about four months prior to the transplant surgery.

A kidney of a motor accident victim was used for the transplant. The kidney transplant patient's relatives were grateful to the relatives of the accident victim for donating a kidney to give life to another.

The surgery was performed by a team of doctors led by consultant surgeon Charith Weerasinghe and comprising Dr Rajeeva Dissanayake, Dr Keerthi Kaluwila, Dr Priyantha Dissanayake, Dr Waidyaratne, Dr Nimesh Pathirana, Dr Jayantha Kahandawa, Dr Sriyanai de Alwis and Dr Papasara Premaratne. The Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital's Renal Unit was established in 2009.