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Cardiac Transplantation Procedures

A heart transplant is a surgical procedure in which your own heart is replaced with a donor heart. You must not be able to recover with medical therapy and require a new heart in order to be eligible for a heart transplant. You also need to meet extremely strict requirements in order to be eligible for this type of transplant because donor hearts are not readily available. Heart transplant procedures are risky and challenging, just like other organ transplant procedures. In order to avoid transplant rejection and complications, you will require lifelong medical care following your transplant.

Heart transplant surgery is an open-heart procedure which takes several hours. The operation is more difficult and will take longer if you have had cardiac surgery in the past. An incision in your chest will be made by your surgeon. In order to do cardiac surgery, your surgeon will split your chest bone and open your rib cage. The damaged heart is then removed by your surgeon, who will then suture the donor heart into position. Next, he or she joins the donor hearts main blood veins to it. Upon restoration of blood flow, the replacement heart frequently begins beating. It is occasionally necessary to shock the donor heart with electricity to get it to beat correctly.