First in India,Heart, Lung, and Kidney Transplants Performed in a Single Day at Kottayam Medical College
Kottayam Medical College has become the first government hospital in India to successfully perform three major organ transplants in a single day - heart, lung, and kidney. This is also the first time since AIIMS Delhi that a lung transplant has been successfully completed in a government hospital.
With this historic achievement, the total number of heart transplant surgeries performed at Kottayam Medical College has reached eleven. The heart and lung transplant surgeries were led by renowned cardiothoracic specialist and superintendent Dr. T.K. Jayakumar, while the kidney transplant surgery was led by Dr. Rajeev. Around 50 staff members, including doctors, nurses, perfusionists, technicians, and other supporting personnel, were involved in the surgeries. Three teams performed the operations simultaneously across three separate operation theatres.
The organs were donated by Assistant Prison Officer A.R. Aneesh, a native of Thiruvananthapuram, Poozhanadu, who was declared brain dead. Of the eight organs donated, one kidney, heart, lung, and two corneas were transplanted to patients at Kottayam Medical College. The organ retrieval surgery began at 6 PM, followed by the transplant surgeries at 9 PM, which continued until 2 AM. This remarkable achievement demonstrates that even the most complex surgeries can be successfully conducted in government hospitals, providing great relief and hope to the public.
Development work is underway to elevate Kottayam Medical College to super specialty status by providing state-of-the-art facilities. The state government has allocated ₹746.10 crore for the college’s development. The specialty block, pharmacy block, surgical block, and cardiology block with modern facilities have already been completed. With the ongoing construction of the super specialty block and the infectious disease block, Kottayam Medical College is on track to achieve full super specialty status. By providing some of the finest medical facilities in India, the college is steadily advancing toward AIIMS standards and setting a new benchmark in public healthcare.
