Bengaluru: Heart transplant gives 23-yr-old new life

A 23-year-old with a congenital condition got a new lease of life following a heart transplant at Manipal Hospitals. He received treatment of various forms over the past eight years and found no improvement.

Arshad was diagnosed with the congenital heart defect called Transposition of Great Arteries (TGA) at the age of three. The condition occurs in just 3% of all congenital heart defects and about 2/3rd of the condition are identified in boys.

Unlike in normal people, the two main arteries carrying blood from the heart to the lungs and the rest of the body are not connected in the case of those with TGA. In fact, the arteries are in the reverse position.

While children with the condition would ideally have surgery in the first six weeks of their birth, Arshad was diagnosed with the condition only aged three. He was put through palliative care in Chennai.

“Arshad has been consulting with us since 2011, when he was just 14,” said Dr Devananda N S, HOD, Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgeon and Heart Transplant, Manipal Hospitals.

“We decided to increase the load on the right ventricle since it was performing better. His condition improved after the surgery as his right ventricle started pumping blood to the aorta. But we weren’t sure how long he could sustain,” he added.

During the follow-up visits, they observed Arshad’s heart deteriorating, a fact confirmed by further investigation and medical reports. They then performed the heart transplant.