KOCHI: Jithesh, the 32-year-old heart patient from Kureekad near Tripunithura who has been battling for his life, has got a new lease of life. He got a matching organ after a long wait and doctors headed by Jose Chacko Periappuram at Lisie Hospital, Kochi, successfully performed heart transplant though he was in a precarious condition after multiple ventricular arrhythmias leading to multi-organ dysfunction. He was in the intensive care unit for last few weeks after diagnosed with Ischemic cardiomyopathy, advised for a transplant. Heart of Sanjose, who succumbed to serious head injury in a road accident, has been transplanted to Jithesh.
Sanjose's parents readily agreed to donate their son’s organ, and doctors reached Pushpagiri Hospital Thiruvalla on early Monday morning to harvest his heart, which was transported to Lisie Hospital in an hour. The doctors faced many challenges, and the successful transplant was a great achievement for them. Earlier, doctors established ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) to stabilise him for the transplant, but his condition didn’t improve. After consultation with national and international faculty, they put him on CentriMag (biventricular assist device) and the complicated procedure performed under the leadership of Dr Periappuram.
However, doctors were concerned about the short duration of support this system could give (30 days maximum) and the difficulties which could be encountered during the transplant. Fortunately, the patient’s condition improved and he was taken out of the ventilator support after which the transplant was done. Jithesh, though on a ventilator, is stable now.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan instructed district collectors and senior police officials to take necessary measures for the speedy and smooth transit of the organ. Dr Rony Mathew, Dr Jacob Abraham, Dr Bhaskar Ranganathan, Dr Job Wilson, Dr C. Subramaniam, Dr Grace Maria, Dr Manoras Mathew, Dr Kochu Krishnan, Dr Sumesh Murali, Dr Jimmy George and Dr Sheethal were in the team.
