Chennai: A 44-year-old woman has received a double lung transplant at Rela Hospital, a procedure that doctors say averted an impending heart transplant. Kavitha Sakthivel, a mother of two, was diagnosed with progressive interstitial lung disease that severely impacted her heart. A Covid-19 infection later left her critically ill, making a transplant inevitable. Nearly five months later, after an eventful transplant and a roller-coaster intensive care period, doctors and nurses who were cheering Kavitha at the hospital on Monday said her lungs were now functioning optimally.Kavitha was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in the US in 2013, which progressed to severe interstitial lung disease by 2016. She returned to India for family support. Soon, a Covid-19 infection further worsened her lung capacity. By Nov 2024, she was critically ill, bedridden for almost two years, and required 15 litres of oxygen. “She was admitted to the hospital several times before the transplant for management of oxygen levels and infections. Without new lungs, her survival was estimated in weeks,” said Dr Aishwarya Rajkumar, clinical lead – transplant pulmonology.After talking to the family, Kavitha was waitlisted for a transplant. When she received the call on Jan 26, doctors faced a significant surgical challenge they couldn’t fit the larger donor lungs into Kavitha’s small chest cavity. “So, we delayed chest closure post-surgery. “And because of the pre-existing poor muscle mass, building the strength required for her to breathe independently and come off the ventilator was slow. It took 6-8 weeks for her to transition out of ICU,” he said.“Witnessing her progress from being completely bedridden to walking, eating independently, and ultimately taking care of her children and living oxygen-free, makes every challenge we faced profoundly rewarding. Her journey, from critical illness to a full recovery, is a true beacon of hope.” A biopsy done post-transplant showed the transplanted organs were functioning optimally. “I am now able to lead a normal life. I am happy I can now care for my children and slowly participate in daily activities once again,” she said.