Mumbai man shells out Rs 90 lakh to keep his heart pumping

New Delhi: A man from Mumbai paid Rs 90 lakh to install a device on his chest which will keep his heart pumping.

49-year-old Arvind Doshi, a businessman, who is suffering from end-stage heart failure got implanted a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) which will restore the functioning of his heart.

As per a report published in Hindustan Times, he suffered a myocardial infarction (heart attack) five years ago which led to a congestive heart failure, a chronic condition in which the heart doesn’t pump blood as it should.

The report further mentions that he was shortlisted for a transplant, but in the absence of a donor, doctors decided to use the implant.

“His condition worsened, confining him at home for six months. Doshi had a severe infection, end-stage heart failure, pulmonary tuberculosis and swelling in lungs, which would make a transplant risky,” said a doctor.

Reportedly, Dr Anvay Mulay, head of the cardiac transplant team, decided to perform a LVAD implant surgery on Doshi. “The surgery, originally considered as a means to make the transplant easy, has now become a permanent solution to end-stage heart failure management. It will work for patients for whom a match is not found in time,” said Dr Mulay.

Experts said that the device enhances the quality of life.