Archive · 27 Dec 2025
Helicopter transports heart 350km for transplant in Chennai
A special helicopter flew a heart 350 kilometers from Thanjavur to Chennai to save a 33-year-old man who was very sick.
The heart came from a teenage boy who sadly passed away after a bad accident.
The helicopter landed at a college near the hospital, and the heart was quickly taken to the hospital.
Doctors there did the transplant and it was successful.
The man now has a new heart and will be able to live a healthier life.
This is the first time a helicopter was used to bring a heart for a transplant in this city.
A helicopter transported a heart 350 km from Thanjavur to Chennai for a transplant.
The heart was retrieved from a teenage boy declared brain-dead after a road accident.
The recipient was a 33-year-old man with end-stage heart failure from Maharashtra.
The helicopter landed at D.G Vaishnav College grounds, near MGM Healthcare hospital.
The transplant was performed successfully by a team led by Dr. K R Balakrishnan.
- Who
- A 33-year-old patient from Maharashtra and a teenage boy from Thanjavur
- What
- A heart transplant using a helicopter to transport the organ
- When
- On December 26, 2023
- Where
- From Thanjavur to Chennai, landing at D.G Vaishnav College
- Why
- To save the life of a patient with end-stage heart failure
Organ Donation Advocates
General Public
Importance of Organ Donation
Organ Donation Advocates
Organ donation is a critical and life-saving act that can transform personal tragedies into hope for others, saving up to eight lives per donor.
General Public
While organ donation is important, many people may have concerns about the process, religious beliefs, or lack of awareness, which can hinder participation.
- Distance Traveled
- 350 km
- Organ Donor
- Teenage boy
- Donor's Condition
- Brain-dead from road accident
- Recipient's Age
- 33 years old
- Recipient's Condition
- End-stage heart failure
- Transplant Location
- MGM Healthcare, Chennai
- Landing Site
- D.G Vaishnav College grounds
- Transplant Team Lead
- Dr. K R Balakrishnan
