13-year-old girl undergoes successful heart transplant in Kochi 

The heart transplantation surgery of a 13-year-old girl, who was rushed to Kochi from Kollam on the Vande Bharat Express train, was successfully completed at a private hospital here on Saturday, hospital authorities said.

The heart, donated by Biljith (18), a native of Mallussery in Nedumbassery who was declared brain dead following a road accident, was transplanted into the teenager from Eroor in Kollam at Lisie Hospital by a team led by noted cardiac surgeon Dr Jose Chacko Periyappuram.

Biljith, an engineering student, was admitted to Little Flower Hospital in Angamaly after sustaining serious injuries in the accident.

He was later declared brain dead, after which his family consented to donate his organs, including his heart, kidneys, liver, and corneas.

On Friday evening, the girl's family was informed about the availability of the heart, following which she was rushed to Kochi on the Vande Bharat Express train.

The girl was suffering from a serious cardiac ailment that required a heart transplantation.

The surgery to retrieve Biljith's heart was completed at the Angamaly hospital by Friday midnight. The organ was transported to Lise Hospital around 1 am on Saturday. With police regulating traffic, the distance was covered in just 20 minutes, authorities said.

The transplant surgery began at 1.25 am, and by 3.30 am, the heart had started beating inside the recipient's body.

The entire surgical procedure was completed by 6.30 am, hospital authorities said.

"The surgery was successful, but the next 48 hours are equally crucial," Dr Periyappuram said.

On Thursday, a heart donated by a Kollam native who died at a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram was airlifted to Kochi for a similar transplantation, the authorities said.