Procedure done at Jayadeva early on Saturday
A 40-year-old security guard received a new year’s gift - a new heart - when he successfully underwent heart surgery at Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, early on Saturday. This is the first successful heart transplant at a government-run hospital in Karnataka.
Gangadhar was in need of a heart transplant as his heart was very weak and he used to become breathless even while on medication, sources at the hospital said. A team headed by Dr. Seetharama Bhat successfully conducted the transplant which lasted four hours.
The donor, 30-year-old Mario Shin Yuan Huang, had slipped from a rooftop and was admitted to Manipal Hospital for head injury. “The patient suffered an acute brain stroke. Even with the best possible treatment, we could not save him,” said Dr. Shanthala who treated him at Manipal Hospital. “His family was very keen on organ donation,” she said.
With the help of traffic police, a green corridor was created and the donor’s heart was transported from Manipal Hospital to Jayadeva Hospital at 1 a.m. on Saturday in just 11 minutes.
The transplant holds hope for poor patients who may not be able to afford the high cost of the operation in private hospitals. “In this case, we bore the entire cost of the operation,” said C.N. Manjunath, director of JICSR. “The transplant will cost Rs. 6 lakh to 8 lakh, and if the patient requires ECMO, the cost can rise up to Rs. 12 to 13 lakh,” he added. The institute also roped in the help of several charitable organisations and depending upon their ability to pay, patients’ kin are sometimes asked to make a part of the payment.
