Docs say green channel saved heart patient

HYDERABAD: The historic organ transplant surgery which took place in Hyderabad a fortnight ago and for which Metro Rail was used to transport the live heart, has been a big success with the recipient recovering completely. On Monday, the Apollo Hospital officials stated that the 44-year-old recipient, who was suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy, recovered in a span of just 15 days and is ready to lead a normal life. Before this life-saving effort, he was kept alive for over 45 days with continuous infusion of medicines, till he got a a new heart. 

Dr Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale, Sr Consultant, Heart and Lung Transplant Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals said, “For a heart transplant we can bring the heart within four hours but this patient was on a death bed and needed the heart to within one to two hours. With the help of Police, we brought the organ by a dedicated Metro train for the first time in the world.”