Doctor Granov: There is no greater act of humanity and patriotism than organ donation

(Patria) - The man who initiated this entire procedure back in 2018 spoke to BHRT about the first heart transplant in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Doctor Nermir Granov, Director of Surgical Disciplines at the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo, together with another 100 people in the chain, performed a successful heart transplant this month.

Everyone agrees that this is a historic event in our country, both for the medical profession and for potential patients for whom this organ means life.

At the beginning, Doctor Granov confirmed that the condition of 44-year-old Aldin Hajdarević, who received the transplant, is very good.

- We could say that the most critical period has passed. The indicators are in the patient's favor - says Granov.

As one of the most important moments in the entire event, he emphasized the family's decision to donate the organ.

"There is no transplant without an organ. I think we need to work as a society on changing people's awareness, strengthening the donor network. And when we succeed in that, we will see that people who have suffered brain death, with the help of experts who detect it, can save up to nine people, if those organs prove to be healthy for transplantation - says Granov.

He also announced a symposium and education that will take place on September 9, which will enable all experts to learn what is most important for heart transplantation.

- It will be a one-day symposium on the topic of heart transplantation and preparation, where all experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina dealing with internal medicine, cardiology, anesthesiology will be invited, and we will see with them what can be done to make it better - states Granov.

When Doctor Nermir Granov received information from the Zenica hospital that there was a heart ready for the transplant process, it was Sunday, only emergency services were working, and it was also the holiday season.

- Now, when we look back, a series of fortunate circumstances occurred in very organizationally unfavorable conditions. It was the beginning of August, Sunday, emergency services were working, and most people were on vacation. It didn't take us long.

Some returned from vacation, some from home… Everything started from Zenica… And I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues from Zenica because they are doing an exceptional job, because they saw that the moment was right... They performed diagnostics and found a way to talk to the donor's family… - says Granov.

What is the key moment, emphasizes Doctor Granov, is the conversation with the donor's family.

- There is no greater act of humanity and patriotism when an individual at that moment decides, even though it is difficult for them and it is a pain you cannot understand, that the family makes a decision for those organs to help someone - he emphasizes.

He adds that in some countries where transplants are performed regularly, such an act can save the lives of up to nine people.

After the consent of the donor's family, explantation follows, i.e., the removal of the heart and transport to the patient who will receive that organ.

Doctor Granov emphasized that there are about four and a half hours from the moment of explantation to the moment when the heart starts beating in the new patient.

- The heart is specific; when you do a kidney transplant, for example, kidneys can last longer, and lungs too, without blood. When the heart stops, it should not take more than 4 and a half hours for it to beat in a new body. Actually, it can, but the chances of the transplant succeeding are very small - he explains.

Doctor Granov confirmed that one of the next steps is the procurement of a system for maintaining the heart that will extend the time the heart can remain outside the body to up to eight hours.