Chennai: In the space of just 45 minutes the heart of a two years and 10 months-old boy from Bengaluru, who was declared brain dead at Manipal hospital, reached Fortis Malar in Chennai on Friday afternoon, saving the life of a boy of the same age.

Malar hospital sources said the transplantation went on till 8 pm and it was successful. The recipient, a two and a half-year-old year old boy from Russia was admitted to Fortis Malar hospital a month ago with dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle. This is the second time that a heart is being transported from Bengaluru to Chennai. On September 3, the heart of a 30-year-old woman was flown from Bengaluru and was transplanted on a 40-year-old man.

Harish Manian, facility director of Fortis Malar, said that it was fortunate the hospital got the heart of the same age. “Last time it took two hours for the heart to reach our hospital. But this time we hired a chartered flight, and airlifted the heart from Manipal hospital. Also, the hospital in Bengaluru is only two km away from HAL airport. So, the entire transportation took only 45 minutes,” he said.

A team of doctors including pediatric interventional cardiologist from Fortis reached Manipal hospital by 5 am on Friday to check on the donor’s heart. Once it was confirmed that the heart was matching and transplantable, the organ was airlifted at about 1.30 pm.

The flight from HAL airport reached Chennai at about 2.10 pm. The police created a green corridor and it took only eight minutes to cover the 12 kms from Chennai airport to Fortis Malar.