Heart Transplant
Diseased hearts can be replaced during a heart transplant, a measure taken to help save a persons life after other treatments have failed.
If you have end-stage heart failure, which has severely weakened or damaged your heart, you most likely will need a heart transplant. However, because so few hearts are available, you must be sick enough to need a new heart but healthy enough to survive the surgery.
In the U.S., only about 2,000 hearts are available each year, while there are 3,000 people waiting for a new heart. While you wait for a new heart, your doctor may insert a ventricular assist device (VAD) to help your heart continue to function.
Once you have the transplant, you will need to take medications to suppress your immune system, so it doesnt attack your new heart. A team of doctors will monitor if your body accepts the new heart. The team will also look out for any infections that you may develop because of a suppressed immune system.
Recently Answered
- Q When can my child return to school after his heart transplant?
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Your child should be ready to return to school approximately three to four weeks after discharge from the hospital. Hopefully, he has kept up with school work through a tutor and won’t be too far behind. It’s a good idea to meet with the... Full Answer
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- Q What happens after my child is discharged after a heart transplant?
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After your child is home, you can expect frequent follow-up visits for blood-drawing, vital signs and weight checks. Every two to three weeks he may need to go for echocardiogram and ECG. Depending upon your child’s progress and needs, scheduling... Full Answer
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- Q How can I reduce the risk of infection after a heart transplant?
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Suppressing the immune system decreases the chances of the body’s rejecting the new heart or heart-lung, but it also decreases the body’s ability to fight infection. These steps will reduce the risk of infection while in the hospital: •... Full Answer
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- Q What should we do while waiting for my child's heart transplant?
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This is likely to be a stressful time for you and your child. He may share your emotions, but show them in different and unpredictable ways. Throughout this process, your child may not feel well and this adds to his fears or frustrations. His... Full Answer
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- Q Are children given priority on a heart transplant list?
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There are special considerations for children on the waiting list. Availability of donors for heart transplantation is affected by the size of the child needing the transplant. For instance, an adult donor heart cannot be transplanted into an infant... Full Answer
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- Q How long do I have to wait for a new heart?
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There is no definitive answer to this question. After being approved for transplantation, patients are immediately put on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list. How long one must wait for a heart depends upon a number of factors,... Full Answer
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- Q What is heart transplant surgery like?
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Once you receive a call that a donor heart is available, you should proceed to the emergency room for final evaluation and admittance. Once the transplant surgeon agrees that the heart is a good match, you will be prepared for surgery. The following is a... Full Answer
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- Q How long is a typical heart transplant surgery?
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The surgery takes about six hours. The patient goes to the intensive care unit after surgery and then to the transplant unit for recovery. Typically, the length of stay for uncomplicated heart transplant patients averages 7-10... Full Answer
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- Q How do I get on the heart transplant waiting list?
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After being approved for transplantation, patients are immediately put on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list. How long one must wait for a heart depends upon a number of factors, including how well the organ matches, based on... Full Answer
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- Q How do I know if I’m a candidate for a heart transplant?
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All potential candidates must go through a thorough evaluation, where you will most likely meet with the transplant surgeon, a cardiologist, social worker and a nurse coordinator to review all aspects of the transplantation process. Typically, the... Full Answer
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