Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai has marked a major milestone in Indian healthcare by carrying out the nation’s first heart transplant of 2026, giving a new lease of life to a critically ill 10-year-old child suffering from acute heart failure.
The young patient had no prior history of serious illness but began experiencing alarming symptoms just weeks before hospitalisation. Doctors soon diagnosed her with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart muscle weakens severely, impairing its ability to pump blood. Genetic analysis indicated a hereditary factor, which explained the rapid progression of the disease.
As her health declined sharply, she was airlifted from Goa to Mumbai under intensive medical supervision. Upon arrival, specialists at the hospital’s Children’s Heart Centre, led by paediatric cardiologist Dr Prashant Bobhate, immediately began advanced treatment. Despite aggressive medical management, her condition continued to worsen.
To stabilise her failing heart and lungs, doctors initiated Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), a temporary life-support system. However, complications arising from prolonged ECMO use meant she required a more durable solution. The medical team therefore implanted a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) to support her heart function while awaiting a transplant.
Explaining the severity of the case, Dr Suresh Rao, Director of the Children’s Heart Centre and Consultant Paediatric and Congenital Heart Surgeon, said, “We had to escalate rapidly from medications to ECMO and then to an LVAD. A heart transplant was the only long-term solution, but the waiting period is always emotionally challenging for families.”
A suitable donor heart became available on January 6, 2026, through the official organ allocation system. The organ was donated by a 56-year-old woman who suffered fatal injuries in a road accident. Given the urgency of the situation and the scarcity of compatible paediatric donor hearts, the transplant team conducted a thorough risk assessment and proceeded after extensive counselling with the child’s family.
The donor heart was retrieved from Aurangabad by a specialised surgical team led by Dr Hari Bipin Radhakrishnan Kattana. It was transported to Mumbai using priority air transfer and a green corridor to ensure minimal ischemic time. The complex transplant procedure lasted nearly six hours and was completed successfully, with the new heart functioning well immediately after surgery.
Post-transplant, the child has shown consistent improvement. She has been gradually taken off advanced life support and has started moving with the help of a structured rehabilitation programme. While lifelong monitoring and immunosuppressive medication will be essential, doctors remain optimistic that she will be able to lead an active and near-normal life.
Acknowledging the collective effort behind the achievement, Hospital CEO Dr Santosh Shetty expressed gratitude to government agencies, transplant coordinators, and most importantly, the donor’s family. He described the transplant as “a powerful example of how organ donation can give a second chance at life.”
(Photo courtesy: instagram/kokilabenhospital)