Latest news with #Todurov
News18
12-07-2025
- Health
- News18
Beating Through Bombs: Kyiv Doctor Braves Russian Missiles To Deliver Donor Heart To Child
Last Updated: The surgery was part of a larger transplant effort using organs donated by a four-year-old girl who had been declared brain-dead after severe injuries Ukrainian doctors performed a life-saving heart transplant on a child as explosions shook Kyiv and air raid sirens blared, with Russian missiles continuing to strike the city. On Thursday, Dr Borys Todurov and his team at Kyiv's Heart Institute performed a heart transplant on a seriously ill child during one of the worst Russian aerial attacks in recent weeks. The surgery was part of a larger transplant effort using organs donated by a four-year-old girl who had been declared brain-dead after severe injuries. The operation took place during a 13-hour blackout, caused by Russian strikes on Ukraine's power grid. In video footage shared widely on social media, Todurov is seen performing surgery by torchlight after a power cut, saying, 'We need to turn on the generator." A handmade miracle by #Ukrainian doctors 💛Professionals at the Heart Institute successfully removed a fragment of a 🇷🇺 mine from the heart of a 4-year-old girl who came under mortar fire in #Kherson. The child's condition is stable. 🎥: Borys Todurov #RussiaIsATerroristState — UkraineWorld (@ukraine_world) November 23, 2023 Earlier that day, Todurov had travelled across the city from Okhmatdyt children's hospital to retrieve the donor heart. The journey was extremely dangerous, as Russian missiles and drones continued to strike Kyiv, CNN reported. The transplant was successful. A video from the operating room shows the new heart beating steadily inside the patient's chest. 'The heart is working, and the pressure is stable," Todurov said afterwards. 'We hope the child will recover and live a long and full life." Steel HeartDoctor Todurov, the head of the Heart Institute of Ukraine, extracts a 7.62 caliber bullet from the heart of a Ukrainian soldier. The person survived and is recovering. — Maria Drutska 🇺🇦 (@maria_drutska) December 21, 2023 At the same time, the young donor's kidneys and liver were transplanted into two other critically ill children — a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl — also in Kyiv. Doctors said all three recipients had only days or weeks to live without the surgeries. According to Ukraine's Transplant Coordination Centre, the donor's mother, a medical worker herself, agreed to donate her daughter's organs, giving three children a second chance at life. 'May the little donor rest in peace," the centre said. 'Our condolences to her family and gratitude for their difficult but important decision." view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Mint
12-07-2025
- Health
- Mint
Amid missile attacks, doctor travels with 4-year-old donor's heart to save a young girl, performs successful surgery
As Kyiv burned under Russian attack, Dr. Borys Todurov rushed through the city in an ambulance. He was carrying a human heart for a young girl in urgent need. The child, seriously ill with heart disease, had no time to wait. A donor heart became available across the city. Despite explosions and drones in the sky, Todurov didn't hesitate. He and his team drove 10 miles from Okhmatdyt children's hospital to the Heart Institute on the other side of Kyiv. They did it even after authorities had urged people to take shelter. That night, Russia launched over 400 drones and 18 missiles at Ukraine. Most were shot down, but two people died and many were injured. Todurov's brave act gave the girl a chance at life, according to CNN. A four-year-old girl was declared brain-dead after serious injuries. Her mother, who works in the medical field, agreed to donate her organs. Her heart was transplanted into a patient by Todurov at the Heart Institute. At the same time, her kidneys went to a 14-year-old boy and her liver to a 16-year-old girl. Both of them were treated at Okhmatdyt. 'May the little donor rest in peace. Our condolences to her family and gratitude for their difficult but important decision,' CNN quoted Okhmatdyt as saying in a statement. The hospital said two of the three children were in very serious condition. They would not have survived without the transplants. During deadly Russian attacks on Kyiv, Dr Todurov continued saving lives. While over 700 drones hit the country that night, he performed the heart surgery. Crossing the Dnipro River during the attack was risky, as the area was under fire. Despite a large fire near the road, he calmly said while driving, 'We're carrying a heart'. He returned to the Heart Institute while the attack was still ongoing. He led a team to transplant the heart into the patient. A video later showed the new heart beating inside the patient's chest, just hours after it had been transported through the war-hit city. 'The heart is working, and the pressure is stable. We hope that … (the patient) will recover and live a long and full life,' CNN quoted the doctor as saying.
