Thiruvananthapuram: A brain-dead tenth standard boy here gave new life to four people as his organs, including heart, were donated to the patients on Tuesday. The heart of Vishal, 15, was flown to Kochi in a Navy aircraft and transplanted on a 27-year-old woman patient hailing from Thrissur.
Vishal, son of Satheeshan Nair and Sheela of Satheesha Vilasam, Chempaka Mangalam, Korani, was hit by a car driven by a youth while he was walking from his apartment to St Thomas Central School, Mannantha, located nearby on Saturday morning. He was brain-dead by 4.30 p.m. on Monday. The recipient Sandhya of Patticaud, Thrissur, has been suffering from cardiomyopathy. She was admitted to Lisie Hospital, Ernakulam, four days ago and was waiting for a donor.
Vishal Satheesh
After Vishal was declared brain-dead, the officials of Mrithasanjeevani, the state’s organ donation registry. got in touch with his family. His liver was donated to Priya, 30, of Nedumangaud at KIMS hospital. Two kidneys were also donated to Rajendran, 56, of Vithura and Fakrudeen, 29, of Panavoor who were admitted to Medical College Hospital.
Organs harvested from brain dead accident victim Vishal, 15, being brought in a container from Thiruvananthapuram Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. Noted cardiac surgeon Jose Chacko Periappuram and Dr Noble Gracious, Nodal officer KNOS (Kerala Network for Organ Sharing) are also seen. The heart of the victim was flown to Kochi in a Navy Dornier aircraft (Photo: A.V. MUZAFAR)
A four-member team led by Dr Jose Chacko Periappuram of the Lisie Hospital flew down to Thiruvananthapuram around 7.15 a.m. The heart was harvested and taken in the aircraft by afternoon. A green corridor was set up between the airport and the hospital by the police following the district collector’s order. The aircraft carrying the organ landed at the Kochi naval airport by 1 p.m. and it was brought to the hospital in 10 minutes. The doctors successfully completed the transplant by 6.30 p.m.
