First heart recipient at Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences dead

Hyderabad: Hemlatha, the anganwadi worker on whom the first heart transplant was carried out at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, died of pneumonia on Monday. She had undergone a heart transplant on December 11, 2015, after she was admitted to the hospital with end-stage heart failure.

Dr R.V. Kumar, head of the cardiothoracic surgery department, said she used to come every 15 days for check-ups and was doing well. She and her family had been thoroughly counselled on the care that is required for transplant patients, Dr Kumar said. She encouraged the second heart transplant patient and gave her own example, Dr Kumar said.

A fortnight ago, she came in with pneumonia and was immediately taken in for treatment at Nims. Dr Kumar said, “We tried our best but in transplant patients it’s a tightrope walk where the dosage of immune suppressants is always a big question. If too much is given then the patient is further compromised and if less is given then the rejection rate of the organ is high. Hence there has to be a balance which depends on the age and body type.”