Dr. Sandeep Attawar of KIMS is lone Asian on the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation panel to set transplant guidelines for next seven years

 Hyderabad, July 29th, 2021: Dr. Sandeep Attawar, Head of KIMS Heart & Lung Transplant Institute became the first-ever Indian heart and lung transplant physician or surgeon to be a part of a committee on the International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation which has set transplant guidelines for medical fraternity around the world.

The field of organ transplantation is a highly regulated one. In this, lung transplantation is relatively new. The past few decades have seen a clinical data being generated on patients with end stage disease. Every 7 years, new set of patient guidelines, new indicators for lung transplants are agreed upon. This then becomes the standard protocol which is followed by all lung transplant centres across the world.

Of the 24 preeminent  lung transplant physicians worldwide on the panel, Dr Sandeep Attawar is the first Indian heart & lung transplant physician  or surgeon ever and the only Asian transplant surgeon to be on the illustrious panel . This high powered commitee  has just released the new set of guidelines for selection of lung transplant candidates. This document will frame and guide the practise of lung transplants worldwide for this coming decade.

Commenting on the launch of the same, Dr Attawar said “I am deeply humbled by the honour and privilege to be on this august panel. I am thankful to all my team members and KIMS Hospitals for the tremendous support given to make this a reality. I am sure the new guidelines will pave the way for greater clarity and help pulmonologists and lung transplant surgeons across the world especially given the case of COVID affected lung cases. This is a just a start for us and we will rededicate ourselves to the cause of lung transplantation in India."

 Dr Bhaskar Rao, MD, KIMS Hospitals added “Dr Attawar & team have been working tirelessly through the pandemic to help end stage lung patients get a new lease of life. I am sure, this achievement well spur them to achieve more.