SUMUM conducts first Plasma Exchange therapy in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: SUM Ultimate Medicare (SUMUM) has started Plasma Exchange (PLEX) to treat liver injury. Its team successfully conducted the Plasma Exchange therapy for the first time in Odisha. The advanced therapy, also known as liver dialysis, was successfully conducted to treat a young woman, said Dr Gadadhar Panda, Associate Consultant in GI Sciences department, who conducted the procedure. The final cycle was completed on September 22 and the patient is awaiting discharge, he said.

The woman was suffering from jaundice, severe itching, loss of weight and appetite for over a month. She was diagnosed with severe liver injury. Since administration of medicines did not improve her condition, doctors decided to undertake Plasma Exchange, which reduced her jaundice significantly. Availability of such procedures would go a long way in saving the lives of many patients suffering from acute liver failure or acute liver injury due to various causes induced through alcohol intake, drugs, dengue or other reasons, said Dr Ayaskant Singh, Senior Consultant, GI Sciences.

Dr Sambit Bhuyan, Associate Consultant of GI Sciences and Dr Sonam Panda of Anesthesiology, were also part of the team.