The King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, managed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), successfully conducted its first heart transplant surgery. This milestone comes after the hospital’s initial attempt at a heart transplant in 1963, which was unsuccessful. Since then, no heart transplant procedures had been undertaken at the facility until now.
The recipient of the heart transplant was a 38-year-old man from Aurangabad suffering from ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. Due to the severity of his condition, a heart transplant was deemed the only viable solution. The donor was a 34-year-old woman from Kalyan, who tragically suffered brain stem death following preeclampsia and intracerebral bleeding during her seventh month of pregnancy. The complex surgery was performed by a dedicated team of five doctors, led by Dr. Uday Jadhav, a specialist in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at KEM Hospital. The team also included senior consultant cardiologist Dr. Praveen Kulkarni. The successful procedure marks a significant milestone in the hospital’s history, reviving its heart transplant programme after a hiatus of several decades.
Dr. Sudhakar Shinde, Additional Municipal Commissioner of BMC, played a crucial role in prioritising the revival of the heart transplant programme at KEM Hospital. The hospital was granted a provisional licence for the heart transplant programme on October 15 of the previous year. Since then, the hospital has acquired over 20 advanced medical devices and established a well-equipped transplant department to support this initiative. The financial aspect of the transplant is also noteworthy. While the cost of a heart transplant in private hospitals is typically around Rs 35 lakhs, the procedure at KEM Hospital costs Rs 8 lakhs. This amount is further subsidised by various government schemes such as the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, the Chief Minister’s Assistance Fund, and the Prime Minister’s Assistance Fund, making it accessible to a larger segment of the population.
“Performing this surgery after such a long hiatus is a testament to our team’s dedication and the advanced facilities now available at KEM. This successful transplant opens new avenues for us to help more patients in critical need,” said the Dean of KEM Hospital. He further added, “With this new initiative, we will continue performing heart transplants at the hospital.” The heart transplant surgery, which took place on July 11, was funded through charity contributions to KEM Hospital. The patient is now stable and recovering well, setting a positive precedent for future transplants at the facility. This landmark achievement not only highlights the hospital’s capabilities but also underscores the importance of accessible and affordable healthcare. As KEM Hospital continues to build on this success, it aims to provide life-saving treatments to many more patients in need.
