The heart, that set out its journey from Aurangabad, reached the operation theatre in Fortis Hospital in one hour twenty minutes. From Mumbai airport, the heart took less than half-an-hour to get into the operation theatre.
The recipient, a resident of Thane, had been suffering from viral myocarditis and intractable arrhythmia since the past two months and a heart transplant was the only hope of survival for him, doctors said.
"As soon as the consent was in place, the airport and traffic authorities in Aurangabad and Mumbai came together, swiftly laying out the roadmap and the flight map," a statement from the hospital said.
The donor heart left Ciigma Hospital at 6.35 AM and reached Aurangabad airport at 6.42 AM. It was then taken into a commercial flight that took off at 6.52 AM, landing at Mumbai Airport at 7.27 AM, immediately heading out to the ambulance.
"We have concluded the surgery and the next 48-72 hours will be critical. The patient will be monitored round the clock," Dr Anvay Mulay, Chief of Cardiac Transplant Team said.