More articles by

Nandini Oza
Nandini Oza

GUJARAT

A new heart and a new spirit

hear--transplant-gujarat Kalpesh Katroda with the heart transplant team

23-year-old Kalpesh Katroda looks ahead to a bright future after heart transplant

With his heart pumping at just 15 per cent following a viral infection, 23-year-old Kalpesh Katroda from Surat, South Gujarat, would have probably lived for a couple more years. But now he is looking ahead to a new and bright future, thanks to heart transplant.

Katroda was admitted at the Care Institute of Medical Sciences about two months ago after he complained of breathlessness. Investigations revealed only 15 per cent heart pumping. According to Dr Dhaval Naik, transplant was the only option left as all the medicines available with their maximum dosage failed to bring any result.

On May 13 when Katroda, who was suffering from terminal heart failure, celebrated his birthday in the hospital, doctors had promised him that he would celebrate his next birthday with a new heart. And so it was. 

On June 1 at 1.50 pm, the hospital received a call from Surat Civil Hospital that family members of one Navneet Chaudhary, who was declared brain dead following an accident, were ready to donate the organs. In less than two hours, the team from the hospital headed towards Surat. On June 2, at 3.54 am, the heart reached the operation theatre at the CIMS. 

Said Nikhil Vyas, heart transplant coordinator, “We had made around 200 calls on that day with various departments concerned. The doctors encountered a problem as weather was not suitable for a chartered flight. Then the only available flight came from Mumbai to Surat and from Surat they were in Ahmedabad in 80 minutes.

Thanks to the efforts of the police department, the distance from the Surat Civil Hospital to Surat Airport was covered in only 13 minutes. In Ahmedabad, too, a green corridor was created to facilitate the fast transfer.

Heart transplant cardiologist Dr Milan Chag said that there was a risk of 5 to 10 per cent involved, but it had to be taken for Katroda.

While a heart can be preserved in a special solution, outside the body, for four hours, in this case it was transplanted in 3 hours and 45 minutes. Doctors also used extra corporal membrane oxygenerator for cardiac support for some time.

Nita, Katroda's mother is on cloud nine. “For us, the doctors are more than God. They have given new life to our son,” she said. Katroda is the eldest of the three siblings and used to work in a diamond unit. He said he would like to resume the job soon. “A few months ago, I could not even step out of my home. Now, I can walk,” he said.

According to Dr Chag, the transplant cost around Rs 20 lakh. For Katrodas, who are not very well off, help came in from friends and family members. “We also borrowed money,” Nita said. 

Dr Chag said there was need to create awareness about organ donation. A team of 20 doctors that was involved in the transplant has already pledged their organs. Soon their driving licences would have “OD” (organ donor) inscribed.

This was the second case of heart transplant for CIMS and Gujarat. The first they did six months ago. For Surat Civil Hospital, it was the first case of organ donation. Chaudhary's other organs were also used.

This browser settings will not support to add bookmarks programmatically. Please press Ctrl+D or change settings to bookmark this page.
Topics : #Healthcare

Related Reading