Transplant: A Cardiac Surgeon’s Story of Immigration and Innovation

This memoir offers a compelling glimpse into the life of a Canadian cardiac surgeon who stood at the forefront of the transformative 20th-century revolution in heart surgery. Dr. Arvind Koshal guides readers through the doors of the operating room in Ottawa during the 1980s, when he was part of a team that leveraged the latest technology and techniques to advance cardiac surgery in Canada. The narrative transports us to an extraordinary era in heart surgery-- a period made even more remarkable by Koshal’s personal journey from India in 1975, a time when open-heart surgery was in its infancy.

In this memoir, Koshal describes how he left India to settle first in Ottawa and finally in Edmonton, where he assumed the role of Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery at the University of Alberta Hospital. There, Koshal orchestrated a significant transformation, drastically reducing the wait times for cardiac surgeries from over a year and a half to a mere week and a half-- all while upholding excellent patient outcomes.

Beyond the gripping surgical tales and medical milestones, this memoir underscores the story of a visionary surgeon who not only rescued lives but also orchestrated a profound metamorphosis within the medical landscape of Alberta. Koshal’s narrative is an inspiring testament to his unwavering dedication, not just in the operating room, but in the halls where healthcare policies are forged. His journey serves to illuminate the possibilities of ushering positive change in the Canadian healthcare system.

One of Canada’s leading cardiac surgeons, Arvind Koshal has significantly contributed to the advancement of health care in Canada. He has performed innovative techniques that have been adopted across the country and was on the team that conducted the first total artificial heart implant in Canada. He also performed the nation’s first implantation of a Thoratec leftventricular assist device, a small pump that improves blood flow.