Green corridor from Delhi airport helps heart reach Gurugram hospital in 13 minutes

New Delhi: Amidst the gushing rains and traffic snarls, a green corridor was created from the Delhi airport to Fortis hospital in Gurugram to transport a heart, covering a distance of 18 kilometers in 13 minutes, the medical facility said.

With the support of around 100 police officers the heart was transported from Kolkata to Gurugram on Wednesday in four hours to save the life of a 34-year-old man from Rohtak, hospital authorities said.

First green corridor was created in Kolkata by the police from a government hospital where a 54-year-old woman was declared brain dead. Following the approval from the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), the heart was transported from the hospital to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, they said.

The heart was then flown to Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, through the Indigo Airlines.

A second green corridor was created by the Delhi and Gurugram police in coordination with hospital staff.

According to the hospital statement, the organ travelled the 18 km from IGI Airport to Fortis Hospital, Gurugram, in just 13 minutes, despite heavy traffic congestion and a sudden downpour.

The entire process was managed within four hours with the help and support of around 100 police officers, the statement read.

When the organ reached the hospital, it was transplanted by a team of doctors led by Dr. Udgeath Dhir, Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery, Fortis Gurugram.

Speaking about the case, Dr Dhir said, "The 34-year-old recipient was brought to Fortis Gurugram in a critical state, with only 10 to 15 per cent of his heart functioning." "He was already on artificial heart support with the Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), and was registered on the NOTTO list for a heart transplant," Dr Dhir said.

Although the heart failure protocol treatment was started, the patient faced financial challenges, Dhir said.

Considering his critical condition and lack of time, the administration team at Fortis Gurugram contacted the Haryana government for financial assistance and initiated a fundraiser campaign to support the treatment, he added.

"Within a few days, Fortis Gurugram received a call about a potential donor in Kolkata. Fortis immediately reached out to Indigo Airlines for assistance in transporting the heart, and the request was readily accepted," Dhir said.

Giving details on the heart transplantation, Dhir said, "Immediate heart transplant was necessary in this case because the patient was in a critically advanced heart failure stage due to dilated cardiomyopathy." "A heart transplant was the only option in this condition," he said.

Yash Rawat, Facility Director at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, said, "The patient is currently stable, and we should be able to mobilize him in the next couple of days." He thanked the donor's family and said, "We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the donor's family for deciding to donate an organ and save a life despite their immense grief. We thank The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) for smoothly facilitating the donation process." Furthermore, Indigo Airlines expressed gratitude for being part of the life-saving effort.

"Our team was honoured to support this critical mission and ensure the safe transport of the heart. We thank our airport staff and crew for their commitment," said an Indigo spokesperson.

Post-transplant, the patient is under constant observation in the Cardiac ICU and is stable, a hospital spokesperson said.