Surgeons at Fortis Malar Hospital performed a double-lung transplant on a 13-year-old –patient Josephine Swetha from Tambaram, Chennai was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, the youngest patient in India to undergo a bilateral lung transplant. She received her new lungs through an expert team led by Dr. K R Balakrishnan, director, cardiac sciences, fortis malar hospital and Dr. Suresh Rao KG, head of department, critical care & cardiac anaesthesia, fortis malar hospital.
Josephine 13 years was admitted to Fortis Malar Hospital due to sever breathlessness where she was later diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension and also developed severe heart failure. In these types of cases patients are needs to undergo both heart and lung transplants as both the organs are dysfunctional. After detailed evaluation the teams decided to perform bilateral lung transplant as doctors felt functions of heart could improve after lungs were transplanted. Soon they registered at the state transplant registry for a suitable match of lungs Doctors told the patient’s future was unsure. But, donor lungs became available a bit more than a week later. The reality that they only had to wait 9 days is truly miraculous, and was soon taken up for lung transplantation surgery as soon as the donor as available. “Josephine’s circumstance turned critical at the time of transplant; she required as complete oxygen assistance and was on the highest ventilator settings. She couldn’t have held on it longer. Technically her transplant went extremely well, her new lungs worked well immediately.” Said Dr. K. R Balakrishnan The surgery was successful and post transplant her lung started to function well. And gradually the heart also started to function normally. Post transplantation immunosuppression therapy was started to avoid rejection of the organ. Two weeks later Bronchoscopic biopsy was performed and it did not indicate any rejection and had successful bilateral lung transplantation in India.
Just over a week after the transplant, Josephine is adjusting to her new lungs. Her parents are staying at Fortis Malar Hospital so the transplant team can closely monitor her progress. The teams of doctors hope she can return home in approximately 12 to 16 weeks. She was later discharged as she turned into having ordinary lung functions. “Ultimately we knew Josephine Swetha was totally in God’s hands, but we also give credit to the wonderful transplant team at Fortis Malar Hospital,” said Josephine’s mother. “Even though we had been apprehensive and aggravating simply prior to the transplant, God gave us such an amazing peace throughout the surgical procedure.” Josephine’s mom added saying, “We’re immensely thankful to the team of doctors who’ve correctly carried out my daughter’s lung transplant. My daughter is responding well and is a healthy and happy teenager post process. She dreamt of becoming a medical doctor one day.”
Commenting at the case, Dr. K. R Balakrishnan said “Josephine is the youngest Indian to have a bilateral lung transplant done. Lung transplants in India have picked up in the recent past. Several patients with end stage lung sickness can be saved with lung transplants” Speaking on the same, Dr. Suresh Rao stated “This younger woman came to us with extreme breathing issue. No drugs were effective in treating her and it was a challenge to get the appropriate lungs for her thoracic size. We were surprised by her speedy recuperation post lung transplant. Dr. Suresh Rao has the same opinion. “On the way to the operating room Josephine was relaxed and smiling. It was like as if she knew something nice was going to happen. He said that after Chennai and Hyderabad, Bengaluru is developing the expertise to conduct a complex lung transplant procedure.”
Reference source: https://www.apnnews.com/fortis-malar-hospital-performs-successful-bilateral-lung-transplantation-on-indias-youngest-recipient/