Fortis Escorts Heart Institute conducts 5th Heart Transplant

New Delhi: Fortis Escorts Heart Institute bid adieu to the patient who received a heart from Fortis Hospital NOIDA on 4^th November, 2016. After a successful surgery and an uneventful recovery, the patient went home fit and healthy, looking forward to a new innings in life.

Bhimsen Jhamb, aged 61 years, had been suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy, categorized as ‘Heart Failure’ for the past 17 years. Dr. Tarlochan Singh Kler, Executive Director, Cardiology Sciences, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute (FEHI) had been treating the patient for almost two decades. Over the last 2- 3 years the patient’s condition had progressively deteriorated and hehad gone into refractory heart failure.

Dr. Tarlochan Singh Kler, said, “The patient was on medication and had also been implanted with a Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Device (CRTD) to cope with the extreme condition and optimize the output of the heart. When he went into refractory heart failure with class 4 symptoms and the anginal pain persisted even while resting, I advised him to undergo a heart transplant as it was the only option.”

Dr Z S Meharwal, Director, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, FEHI said, “The patient had been suffering from a severe heart condition for very long. Despite the multiple treatment solutions administered during the interceding years, his heart continued to deteriorate and a heart transplant became imperative. The surgery was successful and the patient responded well to the treatment. As his condition has been stable, hewas discharged with a maintenance dose of immuno-suppressants and will do well.”

Dr Vishal Rastogi, Director & HOD, Heart Failure Clinic, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute said, “It is a fine balance that we maintain to ensure the life of a heart failure patient remains stable. The team manages the day-to-day monitoring of such patients with optimized levels of skill and expertise as, many a times, it has to be remotely managed as well.”

The donor in this case was a 55 year old ex-serviceman who had met with a road accident . He was brought to Fortis Hospital, NOIDA in a critical condition and was later pronounced brain dead. When his family consented to donate the organs, a green corridor to FEHI Okhla was immediately created with total cooperation from the traffic police in Ghaziabad, Noida and Delhi. The donor heart was transported in a matter of just 16 minutes & 20 secondscovering a total distance of22 kms. Given the criticality of an early transplant for success, the heavy vehicular traffic was briefly halted and the harvested heart sped to its destination where it was transplanted.

An emotional patient thanked the doctors and the family of the donor. He said, “I am going home now for a new innings in life. Pain had become so much a part of my life that after the surgery it feels like a new me again. My heartfelt gratitude to the doctors who have treated me so caringly. I could feel God’s hand in that. My personal gratitude to the family of the donor who has extended my life in the conclusion of their loved one.”

India is reported to have the maximum number of road accidents annually in the world. According to a survey by the WHO, 60 % of the deaths in road accidents are of people in the age group of 15 – 44 years. This constitutes young and healthy people. Organ donation by their family members can go a long way in bridging the yawning deficit for desperately needed organs. No doubt, this noble act can save many, many lives that are lost due to non-availability of organ donors. (Ref. SaveLife Foundation.org).