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NEW DELHI: A two-year-old girl from the UAE, the only child to get a Berlin heart (total artificial heart) in India and survive four months, underwent a successful heart transplant in Apollo Hospitals two days ago.
She was transplanted the heart of a 5-year-old girl who was declared brain dead at Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children (BJWHC) in Mumbai. The girl had suffered severe head injuries after falling from a height.
A Berlin heart is a type of ventricular assist device (VAD). It is a temporary solution for patients waiting for a heart transplant.
The recipient was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. This disease of the heart muscle makes it harder for the organ to pump blood to the rest of the body. It can cause severe heart failure. A special device was implanted on July 29 to improve her condition till the real heart was received. The girl showed good recovery. Meanwhile, the heart of the brain-dead child was received from Mumbai and was transplanted successfully, doctors said.
According to the Apollo administration, the success of this transplant was possible through the timely allocation of organs by BJWHC. The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) played a crucial role in coordinating the allocation process and ensuring ethical and transparent procedures.
Dr Mukesh Goel, senior consultant for cardiothoracic and heart and lung transplant surgery told TOI that the patient was admitted to the hospital in May with intractable cardiogenic shock and septicaemia. “We had to put her on a ventilator and started vasoactive medications (to maintain the blood pressure so that the vital functions can be maintained). Although the patient’s condition was deteriorating, they implanted the Berlin heart to preserve her life and buy some time to get an organ.”
“She became the youngest and the second child to receive this life-saving device in India,” Dr Goel said, adding that she was the only child in India to survive with a Berlin heart for four months and then survive a heart transplant. After the Berlin heart, she gradually improved, she came off the ventilator and started eating normally. However, she suffered a minor stroke a few days ago. Dr Goel said the patient is now doing well and will be discharged after two weeks.
Dr Bhabananda Das, a senior consultant of cardiothoracic vascular surgery, said: “The hospital requested NOTTO officials to allocate the heart to the deserving 2-year-old patient in March and they informed about the availability of the organ on time. The heart was successfully retrieved, and with the support of Mumbai traffic police, a green corridor was established to expedite the transportation.”
Dr Jothi Muthu, a senior consultant of paediatric cardiac and thoracic surgery, said: “We believe in the transformative power of organ transplantation to bring hope and healing to lives. The success of this heart transplant reflects not only my dedication but also the collective effort of the entire medical team.”
She was transplanted the heart of a 5-year-old girl who was declared brain dead at Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children (BJWHC) in Mumbai. The girl had suffered severe head injuries after falling from a height.
A Berlin heart is a type of ventricular assist device (VAD). It is a temporary solution for patients waiting for a heart transplant.
The recipient was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. This disease of the heart muscle makes it harder for the organ to pump blood to the rest of the body. It can cause severe heart failure. A special device was implanted on July 29 to improve her condition till the real heart was received. The girl showed good recovery. Meanwhile, the heart of the brain-dead child was received from Mumbai and was transplanted successfully, doctors said.
According to the Apollo administration, the success of this transplant was possible through the timely allocation of organs by BJWHC. The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) played a crucial role in coordinating the allocation process and ensuring ethical and transparent procedures.
Dr Mukesh Goel, senior consultant for cardiothoracic and heart and lung transplant surgery told TOI that the patient was admitted to the hospital in May with intractable cardiogenic shock and septicaemia. “We had to put her on a ventilator and started vasoactive medications (to maintain the blood pressure so that the vital functions can be maintained). Although the patient’s condition was deteriorating, they implanted the Berlin heart to preserve her life and buy some time to get an organ.”
“She became the youngest and the second child to receive this life-saving device in India,” Dr Goel said, adding that she was the only child in India to survive with a Berlin heart for four months and then survive a heart transplant. After the Berlin heart, she gradually improved, she came off the ventilator and started eating normally. However, she suffered a minor stroke a few days ago. Dr Goel said the patient is now doing well and will be discharged after two weeks.
Dr Bhabananda Das, a senior consultant of cardiothoracic vascular surgery, said: “The hospital requested NOTTO officials to allocate the heart to the deserving 2-year-old patient in March and they informed about the availability of the organ on time. The heart was successfully retrieved, and with the support of Mumbai traffic police, a green corridor was established to expedite the transportation.”
Dr Jothi Muthu, a senior consultant of paediatric cardiac and thoracic surgery, said: “We believe in the transformative power of organ transplantation to bring hope and healing to lives. The success of this heart transplant reflects not only my dedication but also the collective effort of the entire medical team.”