Medindia spoke to Padmashri Dr. K.M. Cherian, MBBS, MS, FRACS, DSc (Hon), DSc (HC), who pioneered the Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery, Infant Heart surgery, first Heart Transplant in Adult and Paediatric as well as Bilateral Lung Transplant and Heart & Lung Transplant in India after the Government's legislation of brain death.

Dr. K.M. Cherian, CEO, and Chairman of Frontier Lifeline Hospital, Dr. K.M. Cherian Heart Foundation and International Center for Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Diseases, has a long list of "first ever" to his credit. His institutions facilitate complete heart care with amenities in cardiac diagnostics, treatment, research and education at a reasonable cost with round-the-clock individual attention by a team of highly experienced, competent and dedicated doctors, nurses and paramedical staff whose motto is 'service above self.' With core values such Compassion, Commitment and Clinical excellence, Dr. K.M. Cherian's team works to ensure a 'hearty' gift of life to patients who come from different parts of the world—namely Iraq, Bahrain, Dubai, Sultanate of Oman, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Somalia, Guyana, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, UK & US.

Doctor, you have to your credit an ever increasing number of successful heart surgeries and heart transplants. Just how many are they?

Since the first Bypass surgery in 1975, I have performed 35, 000 open heart surgeries, 20 heart transplants (3 children and the youngest happens to be 1 year and 11 months in India), 3 heart and lung transplants and 1 bilateral lung transplant.

The most moving experience in a heart transplant that you have performed…….

The very first heart transplant I performed on September 23rd 1995, in Vijaya Hospital during my stint with Madras Medical Mission, is etched in my mind and heart. The donor heart belonged to Hema Sounderarajan, a Hindu Brahmin and the recipient was Maimoon Beevi, the Muslim wife of a handkerchief vendor. For me it symbolized religious harmony and meant that the human spirit can transcend narrow boundaries of caste, class and creed. It was 3 a.m. in the morning when the operation was over and I called my mother (who was alive then) and shared with her the good news of my first heart transplant. My mother said, "This is the best birthday present you have given me." The first heart transplant was successfully completed on my mother's birthday!



What is your vision for heart transplant in India?

That no single heart should go wasted but be used to give a new lease of life to another. This is a large country with a large population that is slowly shaking off its superstitious beliefs and learning the significance of donating organs. There is a central registry for organ donation now, transport facilities and infrastructure in the country are picking up, and the media is doing a commendable job in promoting public awareness on organ transplant. With more co-operation among medical professionals, I am sure the vision will soon become a reality.