Chennai: In just 45 minutes the heart of a two-and-a-half-year-old boy from Bengaluru, who was declared brain dead at Manipal hospital, reached Fortis Malar hospital in Chennai on Friday afternoon, saving the life of a boy of the same age.
Malar hospital sources said the transplantation, which went on till 8 pm was successful. The recipient, a two-and-a-half-year-old Russian boy was admitted to Fortis Malar hospital a month ago with dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle.
A team of doctors including pediatric interventional cardiologist from Fortis reached Manipal hospital by 5 am on Friday to check on the donor’s heart.
Once it was confirmed that the heart was transplantable, the organ was airlifted at about 1.30 pm. The flight from HAL airport reached Chennai at about 2.10 pm. The police created a green corridor and it took only eight minutes to cover the 12 km from Chennai airport to Fortis Malar.
This is the second time that a heart is being transported from Bengaluru to Chennai.
On September 3, the heart of a 30-year-old woman was flown from Bengaluru and was transplanted on a 40-year-old man.
Harish Manian, facility director of Fortis Malar, said, “Last time it took two hours for the heart to reach our hospital. But this time we hired a chartered flight, and airlifted the heart from Manipal hospital. The ent-ire transportation took only 45 minutes,” he said.
