Procedure Overview
Recipient Evaluation: Before undergoing heart transplantation, patients undergo a comprehensive evaluation to assess their overall health, suitability for transplant, and potential risks and benefits. This evaluation includes medical history review, physical examination, imaging studies, blood tests, and assessments of organ function.
Waitlisting: Once deemed eligible for transplant, patients are placed on a waiting list maintained by national organ procurement organizations. Donor hearts are allocated based on factors such as blood type, body size, severity of illness, and waiting time, with the aim of maximizing the benefit of transplantation while ensuring equitable access to donor organs.
Donor Matching and Organ Retrieval: When a suitable donor heart becomes available, compatibility between donor and recipient is assessed based on factors such as blood type, tissue matching, and organ size. The donor heart is then surgically retrieved from the donor's body and transported to the recipient's transplant center for implantation.
Transplant Surgery: The transplant surgery begins with the recipient's diseased heart being removed, leaving behind the posterior atrial walls and great vessels. The donor heart is then implanted and connected to the recipient's remaining cardiac structures, including the atria, ventricles, and major blood vessels. The surgical team carefully sutures the donor heart in place and ensures proper blood flow before closing the chest.
Recovery and Follow-up: Following transplant surgery, patients are closely monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU) for several days to weeks to assess graft function, manage post-operative complications, and initiate immunosuppressive therapy to prevent organ rejection. After discharge, recipients continue to receive regular follow-up care, including medication management, cardiac rehabilitation, and monitoring for signs of rejection or complications.