Double-volume exchange transfusion performed on neonate at GMC Anantnag

Srinagar, May 15: The Department of Paediatrics, Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag has achieved a significant medical milestone by performing a double volume exchange transfusion on a 60-hour-old neonate at Maternal and Child Health Hospital (MCCH) Anantnag.
The procedure was conducted by postgraduate students Dr Yamesh Bardwaj and Dr Shabir Ahmad Mallah, under the expert supervision of Dr Showkat Hussain Tali, Head of the Department of Paediatrics. The team received support from nursing and ancillary staff.
The doctors said that in a double-volume exchange transfusion, twice the neonate’s actual blood volume is carefully injected and then withdrawn through the umbilical vein. “For a neonate weighing three kilograms, this equates to a blood volume of 480 ml, given that the blood volume is calculated at 80 ml/kg. This procedure, particularly challenging in a resource-limited setting, requires meticulous aseptic conditions and the availability of fresh, compatible, and thoroughly screened blood,” they said.
The transfusion process is painstaking, involving a careful exchange of blood millilitre by millilitre over several hours, with continuous monitoring to promptly address any adverse events.
The Department of Paediatrics has extended special thanks to Dr Athar, his team from Blood and Transfusion Medicine and the team at Central Lab MCCH Anantnag for ensuring the prompt availability of fresh, compatible and fully screened blood.
Spokesperson GMC Anantnag, Dr Owais H Dar said children and adolescents constitute 40 percent of the total population and the Department of Paediatrics is dedicated to serving this demographic within the constraints of available resources.
“In the previous year, the department recorded 250,000 outpatient visits and 15,300 admissions, with only 11 percent of patients requiring referrals to higher centres. With improvements in space and manpower, the department aims to reduce referral rates to less than one percent,” he said.
The department also expressed gratitude to Principal GMC Anantnag, Prof. Rukhsana Najeeb and Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Wani Shahid for their “unwavering support and encouragement”.