For Hani Jawad Mohammmad, it was no less than a miracle when his heart resumed functioning almost 18 months after he underwent an artificial heart implant procedure following a cardiac failure. In what is claimed to be first in Asia, the 52 year old Iraqi businessman’s failed heart  was revived with year-long medication and monitoring by putting it on rest and decommissioning artificial heart.

Jawad, who had undergone artificial heart transplant (LVAD), admitted at BLK Super Speciality Hospital a year back after his health condition start deteriorating day by day. After assessing his condition, doctors advised him to go for heart transplant or artificial heart implant. 

“Considering acute shortage of donor’s heart and serious condition of Hani Jawad, artificial heart transplant was one and only alternate we had to save his life. The LVAD gave him a new lease of life. One year of continuous monitoring and medications helped recuperate the ailing original heart, said Dr Ajay Kaul, Chairman of BLK heart centre,” adding that after one year of thorough investigations, doctors found the original heart had restarted functioning properly even beyond their expectation. Hence, they weaned off the artificial heart and now Jawad’s own natural heart started beating again normally without any support.

“Post-surgery he was in constant follow up with us and we were monitoring his Implant and his natural heart which was put on medication and rest,” he added.

Dr Kaul said that generally, in such condition, the original heart may show recovery of 10-15 per cent but his heart functioning was way better, which is more like a medical miracle.  “In this case artificial heart transplant has proved as destination therapy with complete recovery of his ailing heart to a normal heart.”

Jawad said, “It’s a rebirth for me— from a failed heart to an artificial heart to a natural one again.”I had several attempts on my life. The first was one being in the captivity of terrorists, from where I managed to escape. Even after having received multiple gun-shot injuries, I survived many surgeries and finally underwent an artificial heart transplant here,” he said.