Heart transplant

Alternative names:

cardiac transplant; transplant of the heart

Definition:

Surgical procedure to remove a damaged or diseased heart and transplant a healthy heart.

Description:

Heart transplants are the third most common (corneas and kidneys are the most common) transplant operations in the U.S. (over 1,500 cases per year). A healthy heart is obtained from a donor who has suffered brain death but remains on life-support. The healthy heart is transported in a special solution that preserves the organ.

While the patient is deep asleep and pain-free (general anesthesia), an incision is made through the breast bone (sternum). The patient's blood is re-routed through tubes to a heart-lung bypass machine to keep the blood oxygen-rich and circulating. The patient's diseased heart is removed and the donor heart is stitched in place.

Indications:

A heart transplant may be recommended for:
Heart failure caused by

• coronary artery disease
• cardiomyopathy (thickening of the heart walls)
• heart valve disease with congestive heart failure
• severe congenital heart disease

Heart transplant surgery is not recommended for patients who have:

• kidney, lung, or liver disease
• insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)
• other life-threatening diseases