Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh's first cardiac transplant, performed by a team of doctors at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) on April 11, was officially declared successful as the institute discharged the recipient, Rachna Agnihotri, on Saturday.
Patient Walks Out Without Breathlessness
A native of Sitapur's Chandanpara village, the patient walked out on her feet without losing a single breath, something she had almost forgotten in the past six years of her illness. She received the heart from a donor at RML Hospital in New Delhi, whose family also donated kidneys and liver.
Medical Background
During the final leg of her second pregnancy, Rachna developed a cardiac condition called peripartum cardiomyopathy, which compromises the heart's pumping capacity. While most patients respond to medication, in rare cases the problem persists. Battling breathing difficulties, swelling, fatigue, and wheezing for five years, Rachna had accepted that death was inevitable.
In January 2025, she consulted cardiologist Dr. Roopali Khanna, who tried to help her with available treatments, with cardiac transplant being the final option. The doctor convinced Rachna to take the leap of faith and undergo the procedure.
Gratitude and Relief
Now, after the transplant, Rachna is filled with gratitude. "I can't wait to see my daughters, who are just 11 and six years old," she said. Her husband, Ajay Kumar, a farmer, described the journey as a miracle. "She was reluctant for the procedure. She asked me to save money for our daughters. But the doctor's counseling and everyone's contribution became her 'sanjeevani' (elixir)," he said.
Future Plans and Institutional Commitment
Head of the cardiac transplant program, Prof. S.K. Agarwal, stated: "This success will not be a one-off thing. The institute has drafted its standard operating procedure for future transplants. At least nine potential recipients have been evaluated in case they receive a heart soon."
Director of SGPGIMS, Prof. Radha Krishan Dhiman, said that two clear goals are on board. "With a functional apex trauma centre, we now intend to boost cadaveric donations and organ retrieval. Lung transplant is another aspiration waiting to happen. To elevate coordination with other centres, we are working to revive our helipad project."
Additional Chief Secretary of Medical Health, Amit Kumar Ghosh, reaffirmed the government's commitment to advancing multi-organ transplant programmes and emphasized the importance of optimal resource planning to ensure accessible, high-quality care for all patients.
Team Effort and Cost Details
The institute felicitated all 57 people from across departments, including those in lead roles (cardiothoracic surgery, interventional cardiology, anaesthesia) and administrative units involved in making the transplant a success. Even those in supporting roles (nephrology, diagnostics, infection control, and nutrition) worked continuously to ensure that the patient's body did not reject the new heart. On one occasion, she developed a renal issue, which was managed by the nephrology department. The patient's family was counselled daily to ensure they were ready to carry out their responsibilities at home.
Dr. Dhiman said that SGPGI bore the entire cost of the transplant and credited the finance team for working tirelessly on a holiday (the transplant took place on a Sunday). "An estimated Rs 15 lakh has been spent on the transplant. Of this, Rs 9 lakh went into transportation while the remaining was the cost of the medical procedure," he said, adding, "the expenditure is about 70-80% less than that in the private sector."
