Chennai, Mar 21: Two minors suffering from complicated heart problems in a Chennai Hospital were saved by transplants using adult hearts. In one of its kind surgery, doctors at Fortis Hospital in Tamil Nadu placed adult hearts into infant cavities saving two lives. The complicated surgeries were conducted on an 8-year-old Russian national, Roman and a 12-year-old girl, Supriya from Tamil Nadu.

Although the heart given to Roman was earlier rejected as it belonged to an adult, the team of doctors led by KR Balakrishnan, Director, Cardiac Sciences went ahead with the complicated surgery after a nod from his mother, Ekaterina. The young boy was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy due to which the heart could not pump blood fast. Roman's condition had been deteriorating with multiple cardiac arrests after being admitted to the hospital. His chest was then connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine.

The hospital had flagged a "super ultra-emergency" on the waiting list and the heart was made available on January 17, 2018, after the donor met with a road accident and was declared brain dead. Doctors at the Chennai hospital went ahead with the surgery and Roman responded well to the treatment.

Talking about the condition of the patient Roman, KR Balakrishnan said, "When Roman was brought into our hospital, he was in a critical condition. A heart transplant was the only way to cure him. We had to resort to ECPR to save his life until a heart was available for transplant. However, given the severity of his condition, we decided to do the transplant as soon as we can."

Supriya, the 12-year-old from Thiruvarur district also had an ailing heart and complaints of breathlessness. Her condition worsened as she underwent another cardiac arrest in the hospital. After evaluation, she was advised to go for a heart transplant surgery. A heart from a brain-dead donor was then made available.

Commenting on the successful heart transplant, Dr K R Balakrishnan said, "Supriya was kept on life support for 2 weeks during the procedure as she suffered cardiac arrest and did not seem to be recovering. ECPR was skilfully administered for a long period of time by our doctors. Though the procedure was technically difficult and challenging, with her willpower she made a steady recovery post the transplant surgery and is now leading a healthy and normal life."

Dr Suresh Rao KG, Head of the Department, Critical Care, and Cardiac Anaesthesia, Fortis Malar Hospital said, "Supriya was on ECMO assisted CPR for two weeks which she tolerated well with significant dieresis and improvement of end organ function. This surgery gives a ray of hope to all children with heart failure."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 21, 2018 11:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).