Kochi: Lisie Hospital, Ernakulam, has successfully completed its 33rd heart transplant surgery on 24-year-old Ashwanth Chandran, with the treatment expenses supported through funds arranged by Hope Charitable Trust, Pilathara, Kannur district.
The hospital authorities said that the heart donated by 16-year-old Juvin Raju, who was declared brain dead following an accident, has started functioning in Ashwanth Chandran’s body. Ashwanth was discharged from the hospital after the transplant surgery, and his post-operative condition was reported to be satisfactory.
Ashwanth Chandran, a native of Kuttoor in Kannur, underwent heart transplant surgery at Lisie Hospital two weeks ago. He is the son of Chandrasekharan and Reena.
Ashwanth was born with a severe congenital heart condition in which the two lower chambers of his heart were fused together. He underwent a complex heart surgery when he was two years old.
Following the surgery, his health condition remained stable for several years. However, during his ITI studies, he developed further complications and was admitted to the hospital.
After undergoing treatment for three years, the doctors advised that heart transplantation was the only viable option. He was subsequently referred to Lisie Hospital, where he was evaluated by Dr. Jose Chacko Periappuram.
The heart transplant procedure was considered complex due to Ashwanth’s congenital heart condition and his previous cardiac surgery. Following detailed medical evaluations, Dr. Jose Chacko Periappuram, pediatric cardiologist Dr. Anil S. R., and pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Sajan Koshy decided to proceed with the transplant.
Following further medical evaluations, Ashwanth was registered with K-SOTTO (Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization) a month ago. On the evening of June 23, Lisie Hospital received information from K-SOTTO that the family of 16-year-old Juvin Raju, who was declared brain dead at Rajagiri Hospital following an accident, had consented to organ donation.
Following the notification, a medical team from Lisie Hospital reached Rajagiri Hospital and retrieved the donor heart. The team began the return journey with the organ at around 11:30 pm. With the support of the Kochi City and Aluva Rural police teams, the heart was transported to Lisie Hospital through a green corridor within 20 minutes, following which the transplant surgery commenced. The procedure was completed by 5 am.
Before the surgery, Ashwanth’s blood oxygen saturation level was below 70 percent. Following the transplant, it has improved to nearly 100 percent, and his health condition is satisfactory, said Dr. Jose Chacko Periappuram.
The transplant surgery and subsequent treatment were carried out with the participation of Dr. Sajan Koshy, Dr. Anil S. R., Dr. Jacob Abraham, Dr. Rony Mathew, Dr. Bhaskar Ranganathan, Dr. Jeevesh Thomas, Dr. Jo Joseph, Dr. P. Murugan, Dr. Job Wilson, Dr. Grace Maria, Dr. Jagan Jose, Dr. Sreeshankar, Dr. Abid Iqbal, Dr. Antony George, Dr. Arun George, Dr. Jenu Rose, Dr. Hari Govind, Dr. Deepti Santhosh, Dr. Veni Jith, Raji Ramesh, and Soumya Suneesh, among others.
A formal program was organized at Lisie Hospital to mark Ashwanth’s discharge. Hospital Managing Director Fr. Paul Karedan led the program, during which the hospital team commemorated the occasion by cutting a cake.
Ashwanth thanked Juvin Raju’s family for agreeing to donate the heart. Executive Directors Fr. Rojan Nangeli Malil and Fr. Reji Kannampuzha, Joint Director Fr. Varghese Ambalathinkal, the doctors involved in the treatment, and hospital staff attended the program.
