Rajkot: AIIMS Rajkot has performed its first corneal transplant, marking the launch of specialised corneal transplantation services at the institute.The emergency surgery was conducted on a 65-year-old woman from Kodinar in Gir Somnath district who had been suffering from a severe corneal infection, known as infective keratitis, for two months.“The infection did not respond adequately to medication and had begun causing extensive damage to the cornea. Doctors consequently decided to perform a therapeutic corneal transplant to remove the infection, preserve the structure of the eye and improve the chances of saving the patient’s vision,” AIIMS said in a statement.The procedure was carried out by cornea specialists Dr Mamta Singh and Dr Kedar Nemiwant, assisted by Dr Savita, Dr Vishruti Trivedi, Dr Manish, Dr Amit and Dr Shivam.The donor cornea was provided with the assistance of Dr Kamal Dodiya and his team at Rajkot Civil Hospital, the institute said.AIIMS officials said the new facility would allow patients from Saurashtra and nearby areas to access corneal transplant treatment closer to home. The institute also plans to expand advanced ophthalmic services and promote awareness about eye donation.
