Heart Transplant

What is a Heart Transplant?
A heart transplant is an operation in which a failing, diseased heart is replaced with a healthier, donor heart. Heart transplant is a treatment that is typically saved for individuals who have attempted medicines or different medical procedures, however their conditions haven't adequately moved forward.
Heart transplants are performed when different medications for heart issues haven't worked, leading to heart failure.

How is a heart transplant performed?
Once a donor heart becomes available, a surgeon surgically removes the heart from the donor's body. The heart is cooled and stored in a special solution. The transplant surgery is performed at the earliest, after the donor heart becomes available. During the surgery, the patient is placed on a heart-lung machine. This machine allows the body to receive vital oxygen and nutrients from the blood even though the heart is being operated on.
Surgeons then remove the patient's heart except for the back walls of the atria, the heart's upper chambers. The back of the new heart is opened at the left upper chamber, which is connected to the corresponding remnant of the recipient. The 2 large veins of the right side - the venae cavae are connected independently.
Surgeons then connect the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow through the heart and lungs. As the heart warms up, it begins beating. Surgeons check all the connected blood vessels and heart chambers for leaks before removing the patient from the heart-lung machine. It is a complex procedure that lasts from 4 to 10 hours.

Other Treatment Methods

LVADS AS A BRIDGE TO TRANSPLANT
For many patients, the process of heart failure treatment will include a mechanical assist device to support their heart before a donor’s heart is available. LVADs help the existing heart to do its job while the patient waits for a donor’s heart.

ECMO HELPS PATIENTS WAITING FOR TRANSPLANT
ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) therapy. This unique treatment can help a patient survive a heart failure crisis while waiting for a transplant.
This treatment:

• Uses a machine to take over the work of the heart to oxygenate the blood and remove carbon dioxide from the body
• Can circulate a patient’s blood for them for up to 1 to 2 weeks
• Allows patients to recover from a health crisis so that they can receive an LVAD or transplant

Complications of the surgery
Heart transplant surgery requires open heart surgery, which carries the risk of many complications, including:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Blood clots
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Death

Risks of having a heart transplant
Although receiving a donor heart can save your life, having a heart transplant has many risks. Risks include:

• Rejection of the donor heart.
• Problems with your coronary arteries.
• Medication side effects.
• Cancer
• Infection.

What are post-surgery precautions?

• Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables each day
• Eating whole-grain breads, cereals and other grains
• Drinking low-fat or fat-free milk or eating other low-fat or fat-free dairy products, to help maintain enough calcium in your body
• Eating lean meats, such as fish or poultry
• Maintaining a low-salt diet
• Avoiding unhealthy fats, such as saturated fats or trans fats
• Avoiding grapefruit and grapefruit juice due to its effect on a group of immunosuppressant medications (calcineurin inhibitors)
• Avoiding excessive alcohol
• Staying hydrated by drinking adequate water and other fluids each day
• Following food safety guidelines to reduce the risk of infection

Success Rate
The success rate of the heart transplant is 90%.

Treatment Methods
The surgery lasts for approximately 15-18 hours. The stay in India can last up to a few months.