A patient with a transplanted heart, who underwent a total hip replacement surgery in December last year, received a fresh lease of life after surgeons at a private hospital here performed a second heart transplant on him last month, arguably the first time in the country.
The second heart transplant on Girish, a 39-year-old software professional, became necessary after one of the valves of his transplanted heart got infected. Both the transplants were carried out by a team led by Dr Jose Chacko Periyappuram at Lisie Hospital here. “To save his life, there were only two ways. Either transplant the valve or go in for another transplantation. The first one was riskier. Besides his physical condition was also not stable,” said Dr Jose.
Girish underwent the first heart transplant in June, 2013, after the doctors diagnosed him with Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), a condition in which the heart becomes weakened and enlarged and cannot pump blood efficiently. He entered medical limelight again in December, 2013, when a total hip replacement surgery was performed on him.
The doctor said that despite understanding the risks involved in the surgery, Girish showed tremendous will power. “But the hurdles would not end there. He had to get another heart with suitable blood group within two days. Besides, he was slipping away slowly as he had cardiac arrest twice,” Dr Jose said.
The donor heart, sourced through Kerala Network of Organ Sharing (KNOS), came from 44-year-old Shaji, a native of Alappuzha, who suffered brain death following an accident on March 6. The re-transplant surgery lasted 10 hours. Girish, who was discharged from the hospital on Monday, said he would get back to work as soon as he gets permission from his doctor.