Thiruvananthapuram. Mar 24: In a moment that blends medical excellence with profound human hope, KIMSHEALTH has successfully performed its first heart transplant offering a new lease of life to ten-year-old Diya. This landmark procedure is also the first of its kind in the private sector in South Kerala.
“KIMSHEALTH has long stood at the forefront of transplant services for the last wo decades, and the successful completion of its first heart transplant marks a significant milestone in its journey of excellence. With a steadfast commitment to sustaining and advancing its transplant program, the hospital continues to offer renewed hope—enabling more patients to embrace a new lease of life, “ said Dr. M I Sahadulla, Chairman and Mangaing Director, KIMSHEALTH, while addressing the Press Conference.
A native of Kollam, Diya was born with restrictive cardiomyopathy, a rare and life threatening disease in which the heart is unable to pump blood to other parts of the body, resulting in high pressure of the lungs. “Frequent hospitalizations became a part of Diya’s life as her condition worsened, and the only viable option to save her life was a heart transplant. Given Diya’s critically elevated lung pressure, she required not just a compatible heart, but a larger and stronger one capable of enduring the additional stress. This life-saving transplant was enabled through an organ donation by a 36-year-old person from Thiruvananthapuram, who died at Trivandrum Medical College, following an accident,” said Dr. Sowmya Ramanan, Lead Surgeon- Cardiac Transplant & Senior Consultant, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, who led the surgery.
The transplant surgery, which lasted three and a half hours, marked a rare and significant achievement for KIMSHEALTH, further strengthening its advanced multi organ transplant program which includes its liver, renal and pancreas transplant services. Following the procedure, Diya spent two weeks in the intensive care unit under the constant care of a dedicated team of doctors and nurses and she recovered steadily. Today, her new heart beats with strength and resilience restoring healthy blood flow throughout her body. Diya, has returned to the little joys she loves the most: reading and drawing.
E M Najeeb, Co-founder, Dr. Praveen Muralidharan, Director- Multi Organ Transplant and Dr.Shaji Palangadan, Senior Consultant- Heart Transplant & Head of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, were also part of the Press Conference.
The multidisciplinary team who were part of Diya’s treatment also included, Dr. Praveen Muralidharan, Director- Multi Organ Transplant, Dr.Shaji Palangadan, Senior Consultant- Heart Transplant & Head of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Dr. Atul Abraham, Consultant, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Dr. Anees Thajudeen, Senior Consultant, Cardiology, Dr.Shyam Sasidharan, Consultant,Cardiology, Dr. Arun V, Associate Consultant, Pediatric Cardiology,Dr. Subash S, Consultant, Cardiac Anesthesia,Dr. Keerthy Nath S, Associate Consultant, Cardiac Anesthesia,Dr. Shiju Kumar C, Consultant & Chief Intensivist, Pediatrics, and Dr.Divakar Jose RR, Associate Consultant, Pediatrics.
