Heart transported from Coimbatore for Transplant at Fortis Malar in Chennai; saves woman from Ludhiana

Chennai, September 5, 2017: A team of doctors at Fortis Malar Hospital, Chennai performed a heart transplant to save a 60 year old lady from Ludhiana. The organ was made available when the donor was declared brain dead at a local hospital in Coimbatore earlier in the day. The heart was transferred via a chartered flight to reach Chennai airport at 06:15 PM. The team of doctors was led by Dr K R Balakrishnan, Executive Director, Fortis Malar Hospital, Chennai.

The recipient was suffering from Cardiomyopathy and was put on waitlist since 10 days. It is a condition in which the heart muscles become enlarged and pumping blood through the body gets difficult. A potential organ alert was received by Fortis Malar and a team of doctors immediately left for Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital (KMCH) in Coimbatore. The 52 year old donor was brought into the hospital after a fatal road accident and was declared brain dead by an expert committee from TRANSTAN. An informed counseling session was held for kin of the deceased and it was decided to donate his organs. The organ was harvested and was swiftly transported via a chartered aircraft to Chennai. A green corridor was then created from Chennai airport to Fortis Malar Hospital that covered a distance of 14.6kms in 17 minutes.

Speaking about the surgery, Dr K R Balakrishnan said, “The recipient has responded well to the treatment and is under constant observation. The next 48 hours will be critical for speedy recovery of the patient.” Echoing his support for the cause of organ donation, Dr Balakrishnan further added, “It is indeed a great moment when someone gives a gift of life at the end of his own life journey. Organ donation is a cause which is noble and it enriches quality of lives of the recipients.”