Pediatric Heart Transplant at SCTIMST Gives New Hope of Life to 13-Year-Old Girl

The girl, who had been on a ventilator due to her condition, underwent an Orthotopic Heart Transplantation, a challenging and rare procedure, particularly for pediatric patients.

A life-saving five-hour heart transplant operation performed at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) in Kerala has brought renewed hope to a 13-year-old girl suffering from severe cardiomyopathy. The complex procedure, which was conducted by a dedicated team of medical professionals, marks a significant achievement for the institute and enhances accessibility to life-saving heart treatments in India.

The girl, who had been on a ventilator due to her condition, underwent an Orthotopic Heart Transplantation, a challenging and rare procedure, particularly for pediatric patients. The availability of donor hearts for such operations is limited, making these critical treatments often inaccessible and expensive.

The transplant was facilitated by SCTIMST’s comprehensive heart failure program, established with support from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Last year, the institute received its license for performing heart transplants. The urgent need for a donor heart arose when the 13-year-old from Chavakkad, Thrissur, had been confined to the ICU for two months.

A donor heart was secured from a 47-year-old school teacher who had been declared brain dead at KIMS HEALTH hospital due to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm. The Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (K-SOTTO) managed the allocation of the organ to SCTIMST, adhering to the government’s organ allocation policies.

The intricate surgery was performed by a team including Dr. Baiju S. Dharan, Dr. Vivek V. Pillai, Dr. Soumya Remanan, Dr. Renjith S., and Dr. Veena Vasudev from the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, alongside Dr. Harikrishnan S., Dr. Krishnamoorthy K. M., Dr. Deepa S. Kumar, Dr. Arun Gopalakrishnan, and Dr. Jyothi Vijay from the Department of Cardiology, and Dr. Shrinivas V. G. from the Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia.

The operation was supported by a multidisciplinary team including transplant coordinators, cardiac surgery residents, perfusion technology staff, transfusion medicine and blood bank personnel, nursing and technical staff, as well as the Kerala Police, who ensured the rapid transport of the organ through a green corridor.

This successful transplant not only highlights SCTIMST’s capabilities but also represents a major step forward in providing accessible and affordable heart care for pediatric patients in India.