Brain dead woman's heart saves 62-year-old man in Mumbai

Thane, Apr 28: An 18-km green corridor was created between Vashi and Mulund to transport the heart of a brain dead woman in 16 minutes which was transplanted in a 62-year-old man today, giving him a new lease of life. This was the second heart transplant at the private hospital in suburban Mulund in the last 48 hours, Fortis Hospital the multi-speciality healthcare facility said in a release here.

The recipient, suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), has been on waiting list for over a month. DCM is a condition in which the heart's ability to pump blood is decreased as its main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, is enlarged and weakened.

"The transplant became possible when a 50-year-old female patient was declared brain dead at MGM Hospital, Vashi, following a collapse at home that caused subdural acute hemorrhage. The transportation of the donor heart between Vashi and Mulund was done in 16 minutes, covering a distance of 18 km," the Fortis release said.

After the woman's kin decided to donate her organs her heart and liver were harvested last night. Anvay Mulay, Head of Cardiac Transplant Team, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, retrieved the heart from the donor.

Police and Traffic personnel immediately swung into action, laying out the green corridor between Vashi and Mulund for quick transfer of the preserved heart. The harvested heart was taken from Navi Mumbai around 12.20 AM and travelled via Thane-Belapur-Airoli to reach Fortis Hospital, Mulund at 12.36 AM.

Mulay conducted the transplant surgery on the recipient who was subsequently moved to the ICU, the release said. "The surgery was successful and the patient has been moved to the ICU and will be kept under observation for the next 48-72 hours," he said.

"It has been very encouraging to see so many people opting to donate organs of their kin. Such success stories encourage more end-stage cardiac failure patients to come forth and seek aid. Need of the hour is to bring communities together to help drive the cause of organ donation," Mulay said.

PTI