Mahashtra: Fortis Hospital Mulund Conducts 15th Heart Transplant of the State

Mumbai: Doctors at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, conducted state’s 15 th heart transplant surgery, on a 62 yr old male recipient from Navi Mumbai; waitlisted for over a month as he suffered from Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Conducted within 48 hrs of the previous transplant, the transplant became possible when a 50 yr old female patient was declared brain dead at MGM Hospital, Vashi, following a collapse at home that caused Subdural Acute Hemorrhage. The transportationof the donor heart between Vashi and Mulund was done in 16 mins, covering 18 kms.

The patient was admitted at Fortis Hospital, Vashi, where she was declared brain dead. Upon the kin showing intent to donate organs, ZTCC was informed and the patient was shifted to MGM Hospital, Vashi, an organ retrieval center, where the Heart and Liver was harvested. The transplant coordination process began the night before as the consent was taken from the kin, Dr Anvay Mulay, Head of Cardiac Transplant Team, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, retrieved the heart from the donor.The Police and Traffic immediately swung into action, laying out the Green Corridor for quick transfer of the preserved heart. The heart was moved out of MGM Hospital, Vashi at 00.20 AM, following the pre-decided route from Thane – Belapur Road – Airoli Junction to reach Fortis Hospital, Mulund at 00.36 AM. Dr Anvay Mulay, Head of Cardiac Transplant Team, conducted the transplant surgery on the recipient. He was subsequently moved to the ICU.

Conducting Surgeon Dr Anvay Mulay, Head of Cardiac Transplant Team, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, 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.While we progress on our endeavor to save and enrich lives, the boy we lost to unavailability of heart a few weeks ago, will not be forgotten”.

Talking about the recipients condition, Dr Anvay Mulay said,” The surgery was successful; the patient has been moved to the ICU and will be kept under observation for the next 48-72 hours”.

Talking about the successful surgery, Dr S. Narayani, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, said, “People of Maharashtra have hope, the exodus out of the state need not happen as patients can avail treatment locally. Having said that, in spite of all the successful surgeries that have helped build awareness levels about Organ Donation, we are losing patients to unavailability of heart. We have a long way to go before we become the transplant capital of the country; we strive to work towards it so we can enrich the lives of deserving patients”.