Almost 30 NI kidney transplants performed amidst Covid-19 crisis
BBCTwenty-nine life-saving kidney transplants have been performed in NI over the past two-and-a-half weeks.
Transplant surgery was initially stopped because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But almost one third of NI's kidney transplant waiting list has since been cleared.
That is down to a successful collaboration between Belfast City Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital and the Ulster Independent Clinic.
Kidney transplant consultant Dr Aisling Courtney, of the City Hospital, believes it is a remarkable achievement amid the current strain being put on the NHS.
"To do so many transplants in such a short space of time is almost unbelievable," she said.
"It's incredible that something so terrible as the Covid-19 infection has had a silver lining for us in terms of offering new life, in the midst of all that's going on.
"There's been so much which has been so difficult for staff in the NHS, for patients and for relatives, so to be able to send a really positive message at this time is super."
While most other renal transplant centres across the UK closed down because of coronavirus, Belfast was able to remain open.
The unit, normally housed in the City Hospital, was relocated to the theatres in the Royal Victoria Hospital, where the burns unit was turned into a post-operative transplant ward.
The operations, which included a UK record-equalling five kidney transplants in one 24 hour period, were possible thanks to deceased donors.
"It was very tiring, but we just keep operating and operating," said surgeon Tim Brown.
"At the end, it was an amazing feeling of achievement. Everybody had a real buzz that we were able to achieve this for our patients.
"It's the best of Northern Ireland healthcare coming together to try and deliver a brand new service. What we have done is create a new transplant programme basically overnight. Belfast is currently the busiest transplant unit in the UK. It's breathtaking what has been achieved."
The Royal Victoria Hospital was able to provide the facilities and staff for the majority of the multiple operations because the health service has been able to cope with the peak of coronavirus.
One operation also took place in the Ulster Independent Clinic.
The clinical director at the Royal, Dr Michael McBrien, said the Northern Ireland frontline staff have excelled.
"Our theatres, nursing staff, surgical teams, anaesthetic teams and recovery teams have had to adapt to different challenges on a day-to-day basis. It's been very challenging but not overwhelming," he said.
"The great thing about renal transplant operations is that they don't need to access critical care on which there was much pressure to protect."
Dr McBrien said nurses worked extra shifts and there were "many sleepless nights", but the team was able to "provide what the City Hospital has been providing for their patients for many years, and doing so wonderfully".
Among those whose lives have been transformed is Chris Ramrachia, who spent just three days in hospital while having his surgery.
Mr Ramrachia told BBC News NI he feels "very, very lucky".
"The plan was that my wife was going to be my live donor, but when the lockdown came, I had given up any hope of a transplant this year," he said.
"I was so fortunate to get a phone call to say we have a kidney for you."
Although he felt apprehensive about the risks posed by the Covid-19 outbreak, his family reassured him and now he is "feeling absolutely brilliant".