Bengaluru: A 40-year-old resident of Haryana, who had end stage heart failure, was given a new lease on life through a complicated heart transplant surgery performed at Apollo Hospital, Seshadripuram, Bengaluru.

The patient, who is a father of two and the sole breadwinner for his family, was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) with severe bi-ventricular dysfunction, a condition where both the left and right pumping chambers of the heart fail to function properly. His condition required frequent hospital admissions for recurrent heart failure, causing a rapid decline in his quality of life.

After extensive treatments and worsening symptoms, he flew down to Bengaluru with the support of a specialized medical team to get the heart transplant done by Dr.KumudDhital, Program and Surgical Director for Heart and Lung at Apollo Seshadripuram.

Commenting on the patient’s condition while presented at the hospital, Dr.KumudDhital said, “Upon arrival at Apollo Hospitals, he showed severe symptoms of advanced heart failure. He required immediate intervention, including the insertion of an Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP) to stabilize his condition. Aggressive fluid management was performed to remove over 20 litres of excess fluid before he was deemed fit for a transplant.”

After a month-long wait, a suitable organ became available, and he underwent the heart transplant procedure, performed by Dr.KumudDhital with support from Senior Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons Dr. Anand SubramaniyamDr. Manoj Kumar and Dr. Prakash Ludhani, and anesthetistsDr. Pradeep Kumar and Dr. Srinivas Dhulipala. Owing to the concerted efforts of the multidisciplinary team, both the surgical procedure and post-operative recovery progressed smoothly. The patient was subsequently discharged within few weeks and returned to Sonipat, Haryana, to reunite with his family.

The patient’s brother expressed his gratitude, “It’s been an emotional journey, but seeing my brother healthy again is beyond words. We are deeply grateful to the donor family for giving my brother a second chance at life.”

While talking about the importance of organ donation, Dr.KumudDhital said, “this story highlights the transformative impact of organ donation on patients with end-stage organ failure. This patient’s survival was made possible by the selfless decision of a donor’s family and the coordinated efforts of donor coordination, organ registry, transplant teams, and other healthcare professionals. It also underscores the urgent need for greater awareness and participation in organ donation programmes.”