Mumbai : The city’s second heart transplant recipient Dilesh Tambe, a 29-year-old Kalamboli resident, walked home on Thursday night from Fortis Hospital with new hopes for his future.
He underwent a successful heart transplantation operation on August 7. With three back-to-back heart transplantations in a week, city doctors state that the times are changing and now people don’t have to move to another state to get a heart transplant. They added that soon Mumbai will also see a robust heart transplant programme that can save millions of lives.
Tambe who was suffering from cardiomyopathy had received a heart from a 63-year-old braindead patient of MGM Hospital in Vashi, following which a green corridor was created which aided quick transport of the donor heart from Vashi to Mulund in a record 14 minutes.
Recounting his experience, Tambe said, “My condition was deteriorating with every passing day and I had no hope of survival, but my parents and Dr Mulay were strong rays of hope for me throughout my hospital stay. This surgery has given me a second lease of life. I realize that now I have a second shot at life and I will do my best to propagate the cause of organ donation. It has saved my life and can save many more.”
With the discharge of the young survivor, the doctors inform that the family will now have to be more careful and it is important for Tambe to avoid infections and limit external contact, so there is progressive recovery. Conducting surgeon and chief of Cardiac Surgery at Fortis Hospital, Dr Anvay Mulay said: “It is indeed a moment of triumph for us to see Dilesh go home. With extra care being taken about his nutrition intake and infection control, recovery has been quick. As his caregivers, we will always be available to hand-hold him through the recovery process.”
