Some heart failure patients who are not improving with medication and surgery may be evaluated for heart transplantation.

Evaluation

Heart transplantation will be considered only when the patient meets certain criteria. 

The patient will undergo extensive testing and will be involved with a multidisciplinary team of transplant specialists who will evaluate the patient’s suitability to be placed on the UNOS wait list for a deceased donor heart.

Pre Transplantation

A patient’s position on the UNOS wait list will depend on the severity of their medical condition and can change as their condition improves or worsens.

Once a suitable donor heart is available, the transplant coordinator will immediately contact the patient and provide additional, specific instructions in preparation for the surgery.

Transplantation

The transplant surgery lasts between four and six hours during which time the patient will be placed on a heart-lung bypass machine to keep blood circulating.  The patient’s diseased heart is removed and the new donor heart is attached in its place.

While in hospital, the patient will receive extensive education and support to ensure good compliance with medication, exercise, diet and cardiac rehabilitation upon discharge.

Post Transplantation

Patients will be closely followed to check for signs of rejection. Periodic heart biopsies (where a tiny catheter is inserted from the neck or the groin into the heart) will determine whether there are any signs of rejection.

Rejection occurs if the patient’s immune system perceives the new donor heart as an “enemy” and tries to attack it.  Immunosuppressive medications, or “anti-rejection” drugs, will minimize this risk but will also increase the risk of infection.  That’s why avoiding large crowds and contact with unhealthy individuals will be important immediately after the transplant surgery.

The Heart Transplant team will work closely with transplant patients to prevent complications and treat problems quickly so ensure the best possible outcome— a return to a normal, active life.