Frequently Asked Questions

The donor from whom you get a new heart is usually someone who would have signed up for organ donation before he or she died. The heart is surgically removed, with the full consent of the donor’s family, once the donor is certified brain-dead. The availability of donor organs are informed through an organ sharing network and the recipient is chosen based on the best possible match – with respect to the blood type, body type, recipient’s medical condition, and the waiting period. The religion/ race/ gender of the donor or the recipient does not matter (in any organ transplant for that matter) while determining the match. All donors are mandatorily screened for Hepatitis B and C and for HIV. When it comes to paediatric heart transplants, we make sure that your child gets the best care possible. Our team of experts comprises Paediatric Cardiac Surgeons and Paediatric Interventional Cardiologists with decades of experience to their credit. We have specialised, state-of-the-art facilities for this programme including a Level 3 PICU that’s managed by internationally trained paediatric intensivists. Waiting for a heart can be quite distressful, but if everything goes well, it’s definitely a second chance at life.

Once a donor heart becomes available and all other factors are ascertained favourable, our entire transplant team gets ready for the surgery. Our transplant surgeon will remove the diseased heart of the patient, except the back walls of the atria - the heart’s upper chambers. The backs of the atria of the donated heart are opened and sewn into place; and blood vessels are connected, allowing the blood to flow to the heart and lungs. As the heart warms up, it starts beating. You’ll be able to sit up and walk within a few days after the surgery, and if there are no signs of organ rejection, you can go home in probably about two weeks.

Post-surgery care is extremely crucial and you have to take up the responsibility of your own health and wellbeing. Make sure you take your medications on time. And remember that these medications must be taken for life. Exercise - we encourage heart transplant recipients to increase physical activity to improve the functions of the heart and avoid weight gain. However, you’ll need to take the advice of your Cardiologist and Rehabilitation Therapist before you start on your regime. We’ll give you specific instructions on what you should eat and what you should not. A low-fat, low-sodium diet will decrease the risk of heart diseases, high blood pressure and fluid retention. Remember, how you recover, how well you recover and how quickly you recover depend on many factors including your age, general health and your response to the transplant. Patients, especially children will need to be monitored all their life to ensure nothing is wrong. Fortunately, according to worldwide statistics, almost 85% heart transplant recipients get back to their normal life within a reasonable time. The most important of all are regular check-ups. Missing even one means you are neglecting your health. So visit your doctor at regular intervals, get your investigations done on time and lead a healthy lifestyle. It’s a second chance at life, make sure you live it well.

A medical subspeciality of Radiology that plays a vital role in both emergency and elective care, Interventional Radiology (IR) is the minimally invasive, image-guided treatment of certain diseases/ conditions that may otherwise require an open surgery. IR procedures are performed with the help of advanced imaging modalities like MRI, CT and ultrasound scans, in cath labs/ sterile operation theatre environments. The interventional radiologist can see the inside of the body and treat complex conditions ranging from brain aneurysms to cancers, through very small incisions (2-3mm in 90% cases), with unmatched precision and speed.

Avoids major surgeries in certain conditions/ diseases Mostly performed under local anaesthesia/sedation Tiny incision, minimal scarring Significantly lesser post-surgery pain Minimal blood loss Fewer post-surgical complications Faster recovery Shorter hospital stay/ same-day discharge for many procedures

Minimally invasive spine surgery is a highly advanced spine surgery technique using very small incisions, using cutting-edge intra-operative technology.

Very small surgical incisions and scars (approximately 18mm) Minimal muscle damage Minimal blood loss Lesser pain, which reduces the need for pain killers Fewer post-surgical complications Minimal hospital stay Quicker recovery Faster return to normal life Lower incidence of surgery related back pain

The advantages of minimally invasive spine surgery enable us to safely perform spine surgery in elderly patients with multiple medical problems and also obese /overweight patients, with the best possible medical outcomes.

The narrowing of the spaces within the spine is known as spinal stenosis. The minimally invasive spine surgery procedure helps decompress the nerves in the narrow spaces between the vertebral bones and spinal joints.

Endoscopic Spine Surgery is a minimally invasive spine surgery procedure that helps to relieve pain caused by herniated discs pressing on nerve roots.