Best heart transplant surgery in India with highest success rate

Did you know that a heart transplant is the third most common type of transplant?

Studies suggest that the global need for a heart transplant has increased rapidly. Around 3,658 people underwent heart transplant surgery in 2020 across the globe. Surprisingly, heart failure accounts for about 17.9 million deaths every year worldwide.

While people with heart ailments depend temporarily on assisting devices to help their hearts efficiently pump blood, heart transplant surgery is generally inevitable. Especially for individuals having end-stage heart failure or coronary heart disease.

However, often people with heart ailments are skeptical about the heart transplant due to the cost related to it, and the success rate of the procedure.

But now you don’t need to worry about all these as India is emerging as the most preferred destination for medical needs due to its world-class medical infrastructure and excellent pool of doctors. The intervention of robotic technology has made heart transplant surgery minimally invasive with absolute precision to benefit you with faster recovery, minimal scars, and blood loss.

So let’s know why you should choose India for a heart transplant. 

Before that meet one of our patients, Mr. Subash Chandra Sharma.

Mr. Subash is a 52-year-old real estate businessman and a cricket lover from India. 

He had a family history of heart ailment, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Considering the family history and work-related stress, his doctors suggested he make some lifestyle changes.

However, despite taking necessary precautions, one day while playing cricket with his children, he experienced severe palpitation in his chest followed by a blackout. 

Sensing something amiss, Mr. Subash consulted his family doctor. The doctor suggested that he should undergo a few tests.

During the test, the doctors discovered a clot in his left ventricle (A heart chamber that accepts blood from an atrium, one of the two upper chambers in the heart,  and propels it into the arteries). Despite medication, the clot did not budge. 

Soon, the doctors started preparing Mr. Subash for open-heart surgery to install a left ventricular assistive device. This device ensured the pumping that the heart could not accomplish.

However, after six months, Mr. Subash was at the hospital again with another clot. His heart was failing, and he would need a new one soon.

He along with his family started to search for the best and most affordable heart transplant in India frantically. Their search ended on MedicoExperts and Mr. Subash’s son, Udit contacted us. 

Our team MedicoExpert got in touch with him. We explained to him the treatment procedure and documentation process. Our team also arranged an online video consultation for Mr. Subash with a renowned interventional cardiologist. 

During the consultation, the doctor cleared all the doubts that the family had regarding the transplant. Once convinced the family flew to Mumbai where a heart was arranged for Mr. Subhash.

After performing some pre-evaluation tests for the heart transplant the surgeons performed the heart transplant. The heart transplant for Mr. Subash was successful with no post-surgery complications.

A few months after the surgery, Mr. Subash started with his active lifestyle. We are happy to help Mr. Subash get his heart transplant done with minimal hassle. 

Through this post, we will help you know everything you should know about a heart transplant and its cost in India.

First of all, we start with.

The heart is a hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood to different parts of the body with the help of arteries and veins. Let us understand the basic structure of the heart.

The heart consists of four chambers which are separated from each other by valves and septum. The four chambers of the heart include:

The right atrium – the upper right chamber:

This chamber of the heart receives deoxygenated blood -blood with low oxygen concentration- from the body. Once the right atrium is full it pumps the blood with a gush into the right ventricle.

Right ventricle – the lower right chamber:

Once the deoxygenated blood reaches the right ventricle it pumps the blood to the lungs. After reaching the lungs there is a transfusion of gases in the blood and the blood oxygen concentration is increased.

Left atrium – the upper left chamber:

When blood oxygen concentration increases the lungs pump the oxygenated blood into the left atrium.

Left ventricle – the lower left chamber:

This chamber receives oxygenated blood from the right atrium. When the oxygenated blood reaches the left atrium it pumps the blood to the body.

The heart is covered by the pericardium which is lined by a serous fluid. The serous fluid present in the inner lining of the pericardium prevents friction as the heart beats.

While the heart supplies blood to the different parts of the body the coronary arteries run around the surface of the heart, providing oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscles. Apart from the blood supply, nerves also play an important role in the functioning of the heart.  The nerve tissue helps to control the contraction and relaxation of the chambers of the heart. 

Have you ever wondered what happens if your heart does not work properly? Well, when the heart fails to work efficiently it can cause early symptoms like:

• Pain in chest and arms
• Frequent bouts of cough
• Swelling in lower extremities, however, the swelling generally subsides when the legs are rested at a height.
• Loss of appetite with persistent nausea
• A constant feeling of fatigue or tiredness
• Persistent anxiety
• Unexplained rashes and spots on the skin
• Heavy perspiration
• The face appears pale.

If you experience the following symptoms please consult your doctor. If these symptoms are not taken care of at an early stage it can cause heart failure.

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of death globally. Heart failure accounts for around 32% of global deaths. But have you ever wondered what heart failure is?

According to the CDC, heart failure is marked by the inability of the heart to pump blood to different parts of the body including the heart efficiently. Heart failure is a grave condition that needs proper medical intervention.

People with heart failure usually experience the following symptoms:

• Shortness of breath; the shortness of breath is persistent even while resting.
• Edema or swelling in the feet, legs, and ankles.
• Feeling tired almost all the time.
• Irregular heartbeats
• Ascites or swelling in the abdomen
• Loss of memory, and reduced concentration.
• Bluish discoloration on the lips, the tip of the nose, and on the fingertips.
• Nausea and loss of appetite.

The diagnosis of heart failure is overwhelming for many. While heart failure is a complicated heart condition your doctor might advise you with the best treatment options. The different treatment options for heart failure include:

• Medication
• Pacemaker or defibrillator
• IV drug therapy
• Left ventricular assist device.

However, sometimes the above treatment fails. When all the treatment fails then your doctor may advise you for a heart transplant.

A heart transplant is a surgical procedure in which the cardiac surgeon replaces the diseased heart with a healthy donor heart. Generally, doctors recommend heart transplants only for individuals with terminal stage of advanced heart ailment, and for individuals who do not respond to the treatment. 

Heart transplant surgery is considered to be one of the most complex surgeries. However, the advanced technology used by Indian doctors is attracting many foreign nationals to India for an organ transplants.

Before undergoing a heart transplant surgery in India you need to check your eligibility because for a few individuals this procedure can be fatal. That factors that can affect your eligibility to get a heart transplant include:

• Infection: If you have an acute infection your doctor may suggest you postpone the transplant as infection can cause post-surgery complications.
• Unwillingness to ensure heart health: If your doctor feels that you will not take the necessary care to ensure your new heart health then he will not recommend a  heart transplant surgery for you.
• Underlying disease: Your doctor may not suggest a heart transplant for you; if you have an underlying disorder that can decrease your life expectancy despite the heart transplant.
• History of cancer: Your doctor might not recommend a heart transplant if you have a history of cancer.
• Weakness: The doctor may not suggest a heart transplant if he fears that you would not recover after the transplant.

Apart from these factors, the doctor also determines your eligibility to get a heart transplant based on your health, age, and lifestyle.

Usually, there are two different types of heart transplants. Based on your health condition your doctor may suggest either of them. The two different types of heart transplant are:

The inclusion of world-class facilities and robotic surgery has caused a stir in medical tourism in India. People across the globe are opting for India to get world-class treatment at an affordable price. Many foreign nationals travel to India to get their organs transplanted. Many of our clients have got their heart transplants in India with minimal hassle. 

But have you ever wondered what tests you need to undergo right before the transplant? Well, right before the heart transplant surgery your doctor may suggest you the following tests:

• Liver and kidney function blood test, to ensure that the organs are working efficiently. Also, these tests help the doctor to evaluate the levels of the other components present in the blood.
• An electrocardiogram (EKG) to determine the heart health
• Chest X-ray
• Additionally, your doctor may suggest Echocardiography, to know about the size and shape of your heart. This test also helps to determine the efficacy of the chambers of the heart and the valves that separate the upper and lower chambers.

Heart transplant in India is performed while taking care of the global protocols for the surgery. The surgeons perform the surgery under general anesthesia. Once you are under the influence of anaesthesia the doctors make an incision while placing you on a heart-lung machine. 

Depending on the type of transplant procedure the doctors either remove the recipient’s heart or leave it intact. Once the donor’s heart is placed successfully the doctors suture the incision.

Typically, the procedure takes around 3-8 hours. After the procedure, you will get shifted to the ICU to avoid post-surgery infection and complications.

What are the guidelines for a heart transplant in India?

Before opting for a heart transplant in India you must know the guidelines and protocols enforced by the government for an organ transplant. The guidelines laid by the government include: 

• The donor must be brain dead.
• The donor should preferably be between 18 to 50 years.
• Before the transplant, the donor’s family must give consent for the same.
• The donor must be healthy.
• The recipient and donor must request the Chairman, Authorization Committee, Jeevandan AP in Form-11, and the treatment certificate is given by the treating cardiologist and Transplant Surgeon along with necessary documents to grant permission for heart transplantation.
• The Hospital Administrator / Medical Superintendent/ Medical Director of the hospital must forward the application for the transplantation to be carried out along with all necessary documents. The decision of the committee will be sent to the hospital from which hospital the application is forwarded, but not directly to the recipient.
• The permission given is valid for a particular patient and donor, the hospital, doctors from which the application is forwarded to the committee and cannot be transferable.
• In the case of foreigners, the high commission of the patient’s country of origin in India must issue a certificate of non-objection for the people planning transplants in India. presented to the hospital.
• The patient must get the necessary documents approved by the Transplant Committee.