Silvassa man gets new heart, liver transplant in single surgery at Maharashtra

The 24-year-old year recipient, who was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and cirrhosis of the liver

On Sunday, a 24-year-old Silvassa resident who underwent a transplant surgery received a heart and a liver during a single surgery. Three more lives were saved in different transplant surgeries that took place in Mumbai and Chennai.

Three more lives were saved in different transplant surgeries that took place in Mumbai and Chennai. (Pic for representation/Getty Images)

The organs these patients received were harvested from a 40-year-old woman, who suffered a Brain Stem Infarction with Basilar Artery Thrombosis (brain stroke) at her residence. After her condition failed to improve, she was shifted to Fortis Hospital, Mulund, where the doctors declared her brain dead.

The woman’s family donated her heart, lungs, kidneys and liver. The lungs were sent for a waitlisted patient at Apollo Hospital, Chennai. One of the kidneys was sent for a patient at INS Ashwini, Colaba, and the second was despatched to Jaslok Hospital.

The heart was harvested by Dr Anvay Mulay, head of cardiac transplant team, Fortis Hospital. Dr Rakesh Rai, senior consultant, hepato-pancreatic-biliary and transplant surgery, harvested the liver.

The heart and liver were successfully transplanted in the 24-year-old year recipient, who was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and cirrhosis of the liver. The surgery lasted for more than 14 hours.

Doctors said the patient was waitlisted as organ recipient in August 2017 at the hospital. The man had to discontinue his studies owing to increasing discomfort.

“We contacted the woman’s family and explained the procedure of organ donation. Eventually, her husband and family members agreed to donate her organs,” said the medical social worker at Fortis Hospital.

Dr S Narayani, zonal director, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, said, “Support provided by the ZTCC Mumbai, our clinicians and medical social workers, enabled this surgery. We would like to pay our respect to the donor family, who showed the grit even during their time of grief. Their noble deed has saved four lives.”