Bengaluru Creates Medical History: Three Donor Hearts, Three Transplants, One City — All in 12 Hours

The recipients, all men in their mid-30s, had been waiting for over a year for suitable donors. They had reached a critical stage where rising lung pressure could soon make them ineligible for transplantation.

Donor hearts were retrieved from Sparsh Hospital, Yelahanka; Aster CMI Hospital, Hebbal; and Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road, and transported to Narayana Health’s flagship Narayana Health City through meticulously coordinated logistics and green corridors. The simultaneous effort brought together a multidisciplinary team of heart failure cardiologists, transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, perfusionists, transplant coordinators, and critical-care specialists – all working in perfect synchrony. This unparalleled coordination was also made possible by the crucial support and facilitation provided by Jeevan Sarthakathe (SOTTO – State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation), which played a key role in enabling timely organ allocation and transportation across the city.

“This milestone underscores not only the medical excellence of our transplant team but also the critical role of public support, timely coordination, and the noble decision of donor families. These three transplants within 12 hours reaffirm the importance of organ donation in saving lives,” said Dr Varun Shetty, Senior Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at Narayana Institute of Cardiac Sciences (Narayana Health). “Narayana Health’s Heart Failure and Transplant Programme is one of the largest in the country, providing comprehensive care in advanced heart failure and transplants.”, he further added.

Narayana Health’s Heart Failure and Transplant Programme is one of the largest in the country, providing comprehensive care in advanced heart failure, ECMO, and ventricular assist technologies.

The transplant surgeries were successful, and all three patients have responded positively to the transplants. They are currently stable and recovering well under close monitoring.

The life-saving procedures were made possible by the generosity of the three donors, whose families made the courageous decision to donate organs. Their selfless act gave a second chance at life to three families and serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of organ donation.

About Narayana Health

Narayana Health, founded by Dr. Devi Shetty and headquartered in Bengaluru, is a leading presence in the global healthcare landscape. As one of the largest healthcare providers in India, Narayana Health operates a comprehensive range of primary, secondary and super-specialty tertiary care facilities across India and the Caribbean. The group’s Centres of Excellence in various medical domains, a team of 18,822 dedicated professionals, including 3,868 skilled doctors and specialists, and a relentless focus on patient well-being and clinical excellence underscore its position as a beacon of hope and healing in the healthcare industry.

Narayana One Health (NH Integrated Care) and Narayana Health Insurance are subsidiaries of Narayana Health.

For more information, visit https://www.narayanahealth.org/