One 7-year-old donates heart to another

Mumbai witnessed the second paediatric heart transplant on Sunday when a seven-year-old girl got a new lease of life after receiving a heart from another seven-year-old boy.

The donor was admitted at PD Hinduja National Hospital at Mahim when he suffered cerebral venous thrombosis and was declared brain dead. The family of the patient consented to donate his heart, kidneys and liver, which were sent to hospitals in Thane and Pedder Road, for deserving candidates.

After taking consent from the parents, Dr Anvay Mulay, head of cardiac transplant along with his team from the Fortis Hospital, Mulund rushed to Hinduja Hospital to retrieve the heart.

The journey between the two hospitals covering 26 kilometres was completed in 18 minutes. With the help of traffic department, a green corridor was established, following the route of Hinduja Hospital-Kalanagar Junction-Bandra-Kurla Complex-Amar Mall- Chedda Nagar-Eastern Express Highway-Airoli Junction and finally to Fortis Hospital.

Dr Vijay Agarwal, head of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, said, “It is an exceptional task to find a compatible match, in terms of age, weight, height and blood group. We found a perfect match in this donor from Hinduja Hospital. It has given a ray of hope to this young patient. The transplant surgery has been successfully concluded. The patient has been moved to the ICU and is now stable. She will be kept under observation for the next 48-72 hours”.

Speaking on the successful transplant, Dr S. Narayani, zonal director, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, said, “This is the second paediatric transplant of the state and ninth successful heart transplant in the city.”

Dr Mulay said, “We now see the wheels of progressive change being set in motion. Paediatric surgeries are witnessing the same amount of momentum as adult cardiac surgeries. Increased awareness about the importance of organ donation has been pivotal for this change.”

Details of the 1st transplant On January 3 this year, the city’s firstpaediatric heart transplant was carried out when a 20-year-old woman donated her heart to a 17-year-old boy. The rare surgery was conducted when the donor suffered from restrictive cardiomyopathy, a rare form of heart muscle disease whose common symptoms include breathlessness and swelling of the legs. The donor’s family are residents of Indore and had agreed to donate her organs after she was declared brain dead.