Teen dies at AIIMS after years of postponed heart surgery, father demands inquiry
A 15-year-old from Kota died at AIIMS Delhi while being evaluated for a possible heart-lung transplant, after her family says corrective surgery was repeatedly delayed for years.
The AIIMS Delhi hospital confirmed that 15-year-old Tanvi, a resident of Kota, died early Tuesday following a severe drop in oxygen saturation that led to cardiac arrest. She had been under medical management for a ventricular septal defect with pulmonary atresia since 2012, and a corrective operation was deemed impossible in 2018 due to missing pulmonary arteries. In August she was admitted for evaluation for a heart-lung transplant and underwent an endoscopy as part of that process.
At 2.50 am she became cyanotic, was placed on oxygen at 3.30 am, and later suffered a fatal hypoxic episode. Her father, Mukesh Pariyani, claims the family endured a 13-year wait for surgery, with scheduled dates repeatedly changed, and is pressing for answers, suspecting a possible conspiracy. Hospital officials have not responded to queries about why the earlier surgery was not performed. The case highlights ongoing challenges in managing complex congenital heart conditions in India.
Why it matters
The death raises concerns about delays in critical pediatric cardiac care and accountability at a major public hospital.
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