A Bridge to Life: ECMO–LVAD to Heart Transplant Journey Performed by Dr. Srinath Vijayasekharan and Team

When the heart begins to fail beyond repair, time becomes a precious resource. diagnosed with end-stage heart failure, survival meant relying on cutting-edge technology and expert surgical care — every step of the way.

His heart could no longer pump enough blood to support life. He was placed on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) as an emergency life-saving measure. But even ECMO was only a temporary bridge. His condition required advanced mechanical support — and ultimately, a transplant.

That’s when Dr. Srinath Vijayasekharan, one of India’s leading cardiothoracic and transplant surgeons, took over the case.

“This was a patient in cardiogenic shock, with no effective native heart function,” said Dr. Srinath. “We had to stabilize him and buy time until a donor heart became available.”

To do this, the team transitioned the patient from ECMO to an LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) — a mechanical pump surgically implanted to take over the function of the failing left ventricle. This approach, known as an ECMO-to-LVAD bridge, is highly complex and requires multidisciplinary expertise.

With the LVAD supporting his circulation and recovery, the patient was successfully maintained until a suitable donor heart was found.

Dr. Srinath then performed a successful heart transplant, completing a journey that only a handful of centers in the country can execute:
ECMO → LVAD → Heart Transplant.

Today, the patient is doing well, free from devices, and living with a healthy, beating heart.

“Each stage — ECMO, LVAD, and finally transplant — is a high-risk intervention on its own,” Dr. Srinath noted. “To carry a patient safely across all three is a triumph of technology, teamwork, and timing.”

This case represents a pinnacle of advanced heart failure care and highlights Dr. Srinath Vijayasekharan’s unmatched capability in delivering seamless mechanical-to-biological heart replacement for critically ill patients.