According to the American Heart Association, in 2008 there were 2,163 heart transplants performed in the United States. A heart transplant is major surgery and is often the last treatment option for patients. The first heart transplant was performed in 1967, according to the Mayo Clinic, and since then advancements have been made and the chances of survival are higher than ever.
National Registry
According to the Organ Donor website, there are five steps a potential recipient must take to get on the waiting list for organ donation. The first step is to receive a referral from a physician. The second step is to contact the closest transplant hospital. The third step includes scheduling an appointment with the transplant hospital to determine whether the patient is a good candidate. The fourth step is to ask questions during the evaluation about the transplant. The final and fifth step is to wait for the transplant hospital to determine whether the patient is a candidate and when to add the patient to the list. The decision to have a heart transplant is based upon each patient. Those who are over the age of 65 or have had cancer or another disease that could shorten the patient’s life despite the transplant and those patients unwilling to make the appropriate lifestyle changes are not considered good candidates for the operation. The patient will be given a cell phone or a beeper to keep with him at all times. This is to notify the patient of a possible match for the patient’s heart. The American Heart Association states that a match is determined by the patient’s and donor’s blood type and body size. Once a match is found everything must progress quickly to harvest the heart from the donor and to get the patient ready for surgery.
The Heart Transplant
While the patient is on the waiting list, the patient’s medical team will monitor and treat the patient’s condition to the best of their abilities. If the patient is matched with a donor heart, then the surgery will happen. The American Heart Association indicates that, once in surgery, the cardiothoracic surgeon will make a cut down the front of the chest and through the breastbone to allow access to the heart. The vessels of the heart are then attached to a heart-lung bypass machine that allows continued blood flow to the brain and the rest of the patient’s body. Next the unhealthy heart is taken out and the donor heart is sewn into place and the heart-lung bypass machine is turned off and the donor heart restarts itself. The patient has then completed the four to six hour surgery and can recover in the hospital.
Post-Surgery
According to the Mayo Clinic, after the surgery the patient will remain in the hospital for a week to two weeks and then will be monitored at an outpatient transplant center for three months. At the transplant center the patient will be monitored closely and undergo tests to ensure that the body is accepting the donor heart. Once the patient is home it is important to establish a routine for taking her medications so that they aren’t forgotten. The patient will also participate in cardiac rehabilitation where the patient will learn about eating healthy, exercising and improving her quality of life. The American Heart Association reports that as of June 5, 2009, the one-year survival rate for patients that had heart transplants was 88 percent for males and 77.2 percent for females. The five-year survival rate was 73.1 percent for males and 67.4 percent for females.
