Kerala witnesses heart transplant amid lockdown crisis

Gandhi Nagar (Kottayam): Giving hope to the entire world amid a war for survival, Kerala witnessed a heart transplant during the COVID lockdown. Thiruvananthapuram Kallambalam native Sreekumar's heart will give a new life to Athirambuzha Thellakam native K C Jose (62) who is under treatment in Kottayam medical college. The transplant surgery will be performed under the leadership of Dr T K Jayakumar, cardiac surgeon of Kottayam medical college.

Sreekumar met with a bike accident and was under treatment at KIMS hospital when he suffered brain death. His wife Bindu and son Swathin voluntered for organ donation. So it was decided to transplant the heart to Jose, a carpenter, who suffered heart attack a year ago.

Though he was being treated at Kottayam medical college and later at a private hospital, his condition only worsened. He approached the medical college again and Dr T K Jayakumar and team found that the heart's functioning was less than 15 percent.

As it was clear that heart transplant is the only solution, Jose registered in Mrithasanjeevani scheme and was waiting for a matching donor. On Friday morning, it was informed that a matching heart is likely to be available at Thiruvananthapuram KIMS hospital. Thus Dr T K Jayakumar and team went there and received the heart after completing medical checkup and other procedures.

Both the organ donor and receiver were subjected to COVID test also. Sreekumar's liver and a kidney was donated to KIMS hospital and another kidney to Thiruvananthapuram medical college for transplant to suitable patients. Mrithasanjeevani convener and Thiruvananthapuram Medical College principal Dr M K Ajayakumar, State Nodal Officer Dr Noble Gracious, Medical College Superintendent Dr M S Sharmad and others led the procedures.

Dr Jayakumar for sixth time

It was the sixth heart transplant that was performed at Kottayam medical college in wee hours of Saturday. All six of them were done under the leadership of Dr T K Jayakumar. He was totally engaged ever since the news of suitable heart was received by 10 am on Friday.

Then tests were conducted to make sure it was suitable for Jose. By 2.30 pm, the doctor and team set out to Thiruvananthapuram to receive the heart. They reached the hospital by 6.10 pm. By the time, they completed taking the organs and doing other tests, it was 1 am on Saturday.