From hours to minutes: Drone cuts cornea transport time for rapid eye care in India
Indian researchers evaluated whether drones could safely move sensitive eye tissue from collection centers to hospitals. The tests reduced the delivery time to 40 minutes by the road for 40 minutes.
Indian researchers have successfully tested the drone to speed up the transport of human cornea and amniotic grafts for patients that require immediate transplants. Testing tests reduced the delivery time to only 40 minutes from 2–2.5 hours to the road to only 40 minutes, ensuring rapid access to significant eye care.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and AIIMS, New Delhi and Dr. A team of doctors at Shroff Charity Eye Hospital, with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, conducted a feasibility study, in which he evaluated whether drones could safely carry sensitive eye tissue from collection centers to hospitals.
Testing flights took place between Sonipat and Jhanjar in Haryana. The corneal tissue remained in the optimal position during the flight and was successfully used for a transplant in AIIMS New Delhi.
Why drone matters for eye transplant
There are high number of corneal blindness cases in India, but timely access to donor tissues is a challenge. The corneal transplant should be quickly, as the delay in transport can reduce the quality of the tissue and reduce the possibility of a successful surgery.
Drone is a sharp, more reliable option for road transport, especially in rural or semi-urban areas where medical logistics may slow down.
By ensuring rapid delivery, this technique can help more patients to re -achieve their vision and prevent viable donor tissue.
The ICMR has previously used drone under its i-drone initiative to transport medical supply including vaccines, blood products and laboratory samples in difficult areas in the Northeast, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana and Delhi-NCR regions.
Director General of ICMR Dr. “This study takes another step forward in making healthcare more accessible,” Rajiv Bahl said. “By using a drone, we can ensure that life-long transplants occur on time and reduce the burden on major hospitals.”
As researchers analyze findings from studies, their aim is to set up standard protocols for air transport of sensitive biological materials, which can change the manner of organ and tissue transplant in India.
