Heart Transplant
Heart transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients with end-stage heart failure or severe cardiac conditions unresponsive to medication or surgery.
A healthy donor heart is surgically implanted to restore normal blood flow and improve quality of life.
The surgery requires careful donor matching, immunosuppression management, and long-term follow-up to ensure success.
Overview And Clinical Background
Heart transplant involves replacing a diseased heart with a healthy donor heart.
It is indicated for patients with severe heart failure, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart defects, or refractory angina.
Modern transplantation techniques improve survival and reduce complications through meticulous surgical planning and immunosuppressive therapy.
- Indication: End-stage heart failure not responsive to other treatments.
- Requires donor-recipient compatibility testing, including blood type and tissue matching.
- Surgical goal: Restore functional circulation and improve quality of life.
Symptoms, Signs And Presentation
Patients present with severe fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling, or chest pain due to cardiac insufficiency.
Advanced heart failure symptoms indicate consideration for transplant.
- Common symptoms: Shortness of breath, fluid retention, extreme fatigue, reduced exercise tolerance.
- Persistent arrhythmias or recurrent hospitalizations for heart failure.
- Red flag: Life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias or cardiogenic shock require urgent evaluation.
Diagnosis Methods And Investigations
Cardiac Evaluation and Donor Matching
Pre-transplant workup includes echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, and blood tests.
Screening ensures suitability for surgery and identifies potential complications.
- Imaging: Echocardiogram, CT, or MRI to evaluate cardiac function and anatomy.
- Lab tests: Blood typing, antibody screening, and infection panels.
- Functional assessment including exercise tolerance and comorbidity evaluation.
Treatment Options And Surgical Techniques
Heart transplantation is performed under general anesthesia.
The diseased heart is removed and replaced with the donor heart, followed by connecting major vessels and ensuring proper function.
- Medical optimization: Pre-transplant medications stabilize heart failure symptoms.
- Surgical transplant: Standard orthotopic transplantation or specialized approaches as needed.
- Post-op immunosuppressive therapy prevents organ rejection.
Recovery, Risks And Prognosis
Recovery involves ICU monitoring, gradual physical activity, and long-term medications.
Risks include rejection, infection, or complications from immunosuppressants.
Long-term survival depends on compliance, monitoring, and timely follow-up.
Why Choose Us
CureU Healthcare provides a multidisciplinary transplant team, advanced surgical facilities, and personalized care to maximize heart transplant outcomes.
Our experience ensures safety, precision, and holistic post-op management.
Conclusion
Heart transplantation restores life and function for patients with terminal heart disease.
With expert care, patients regain independence and improved quality of life.
