SHE had always been in good health and only went into hospital for a minor dental operation. But life-threatening complications led to a heart transplant and, nearly a year later, 26-year-old Dipika Patel is still recovering. Health reporter GAYLE EVANS describes her remarkable fightback.

STUDENT Dipika Patel had never suffered from as much as a cold before she went into hospital for the first time to have her wisdom teeth out.

The routine operation was expected to be a minor irritation -- a couple days of convalescing before returning to her busy life.

But life was never to be the same for 26-year-old Dipika. Instead she came within hours of death after the minor operation triggered a potentially fatal heart virus.

Doctors were forced to perform an emergency heart transplant and today, one year later, Dipika has to have a blood transfusion every three weeks.

Dipika has insulin-dependent diabetes and a rare form of anaemia and, while she is set to celebrate the 12-month anniversary of receiving a new heart, she still feels she has a long way to go to regain the former life she once enjoyed.

A simple walk to the car is seen as a major triumph, a far cry from her partying days as a student at Bolton College. Dipika, of Jauncey Street, Deane, said: "I was absolutely devastated. I had never been to the doctor before. I never got colds. Having my wisdom teeth out was the first time I had been into hospital."

But Dipika never fully recovered from the operation. She developed a condition called infective endocarditis which can occur when bacteria enters the bloodstream, lodging in the heart valves.

It is a recognised medical condition believed to be caused after a surgical, dental or medical procedure introduces bacteria into the bloodstream.

It is also thought to be caused by simple activities such as causing injury in the mouth by brushing the teeth.

Dipika spent two days in the coronary care unit at the Royal Bolton Hospital before having surgery to replace her faulty heart valve in August 2000 at the Manchester Royal Infirmary.

But this still failed to cure Dipika whose health slipped into a rapid decline. In October 2000, she could barely walk and once again found herself on a hospital ward.

After months of tests, she was transferred to the heart specialist hospital in Wythenshawe. It was here that doctors broke the news that Dipika needed a new heart.

Dipika said: "I was shocked. I didn't think that I was that ill. But I suffered two heart failures and at one stage my parents were told that I only had three hours to live. The left side of the heart had stopped working. The doctors didn't know why."

The local girl was found a heart just three weeks after being placed on the transplant list and the operation in May 2001 was deemed a success.

However, Dipika suffered a bad reaction to the anti-rejection drugs and was left with diabetes. She also has a rare form of anaemia with her red blood cells eating away the white blood cells in her body.

Dipika said: "I hope that one day I will be normal and will be able to do normal things like going out and enjoying what other 26-year-olds enjoy.

"I used to be very active. Now, I won't go out at all because its too tiring."

To mark her transplant anniversary last week she celebrated over a meal with her parents, Dahiben and Somabhi.

Dipika hopes the next 12 months will see her reach a full recovery so that she can pick up her longed-for business career.