Kochi: A 14-year-old Class X student from Dubai, Amani (Aman Mehnaaz), has received a new lease on life after a successful heart transplant surgery. She was discharged from Lisie Hospital on Thursday and is expected to resume her studies soon.
Donor and Medical Journey
The heart of Jayi Jayakumar from Kilimanoor, who was declared brain dead, was transplanted into Amani, the daughter of Manoj and Nishitha from Changaramkulam, Malappuram. Amani suffered from a condition where the chambers on the right side of her heart developed abnormally.
Last month, after registering with the state government system K-SOTTO, the family sought quicker heart availability at a hospital in Chennai. On the night of April 8, after receiving a notification from K-SOTTO, hospital authorities informed Amani's parents. They immediately flew from Chennai and arrived at Lisie Hospital in the morning.
Swift Operation
At 4 a.m. on April 9, a medical team led by Dr. Jeevesh Thomas, Dr. Jo Joseph, and Dr. Arun George departed for Thiruvananthapuram and soon began surgery to retrieve the heart. They departed from Thiruvananthapuram with the heart in a state government-rented helicopter at 1:45 p.m. and arrived in Kochi at 2:40 p.m.
The transplant surgery began under the leadership of Dr. Jose Chacko Periappuram within four minutes. By 5:30 p.m., the heart started beating again, and the surgery was completed by 9 p.m.
