Heart–Lung Transplant
Heart–Lung Transplant
A heart transplant is an operation in which a diseased, failing heart is replaced with a healthier donor heart. Heart transplant is a treatment that’s usually reserved for people whose condition hasn’t improved enough with medications or other surgeries. While a heart transplant is a major operation, your chance of survival is good with appropriate follow-up care.
Why it's done
Heart transplants are performed when other treatments for heart problems haven’t worked, leading to heart failure. In adults, heart failure can be caused by
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A weakening of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy)
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Coronary artery disease
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Heart valve disease
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A heart problem you're born with (congenital heart defect)
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Dangerous recurring abnormal heart rhythms (ventricular arrhythmias) not controlled by other treatments
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Failure of a previous heart transplant
Risks
Besides the risks of having open-heart surgery, which include bleeding, infection and blood clots, risks of a heart transplant include:
Rejection of the donor heart. One of the most significant risks after a heart transplant is your body rejecting the donor heart.Your immune system may see your donor heart as a foreign object and try to reject it, which can damage the heart. Every heart transplant recipient receives medications to prevent rejection (immunosuppressants), and as a result, the rate of rejection continues to decrease. Sometimes, a change in medications will halt rejection if it occurs.To help prevent rejection, it’s critical that you always take your medications as prescribed and keep all your appointments with your doctor.Rejection often occurs without symptoms. To determine whether your body is rejecting the new heart, you’ll have frequent heart biopsies during the first year after your transplant. After that, you won’t need biopsies as often. During the biopsy, a tube is inserted into a vein in your neck or groin and directed to your heart. A biopsy device is run through the tube to take a tiny sample of heart tissue, which is examined in a lab.Primary graft failure. With this condition, the most frequent cause of death in the first few months after transplant, the donor heart doesn’t function.Problems with your arteries. After your transplant, it’s possible that the walls of the arteries in your heart could thicken and harden, leading to cardiac allograft vasculopathy. This can make blood circulation through your heart difficult and can cause a heart attack, heart failure, heart arrhythmias or sudden cardiac death.Medication side effects. The immunosuppressants you’ll need to take for the rest of your life can cause serious kidney damage and other problems.Cancer. Immunosuppressants can also increase your risk of developing cancer. Taking these medications can put you at a greater risk of skin and lip tumors and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, among others Infection. Immunosuppressants decrease your ability to fight infection. Many people who have heart transplants have an infection that requires them to be admitted to the hospital in the first year after their transplant
Results
Heart transplant procedureOpen pop-up dialog box
Most people who receive a heart transplant enjoy a good quality of life. Depending on your condition, you may be able to resume many of your daily life activities, such as returning to work, participating in hobbies and sports, and exercising. Discuss with your doctor what activities are appropriate for you. Some women who have had heart transplants can become pregnant. However, talk to your doctor if you’re considering having children after your transplant. You’ll likely need medication adjustments before becoming pregnant, as some medications can cause pregnancy complications. Survival rates after heart transplantation vary based on a number of factors. Survival rates continue to improve despite an increase in older and higher risk heart transplant recipients. Worldwide, the overall survival rate is more than 85% after one year and about 69% after five years for adults.
Most people who receive a heart transplant enjoy a good quality of life. Depending on your condition, you may be able to resume many of your daily life activities, such as returning to work, participating in hobbies and sports, and exercising. Discuss with your doctor what activities are appropriate for you. Some women who have had heart transplants can become pregnant. However, talk to your doctor if you’re considering having children after your transplant. You’ll likely need medication adjustments before becoming pregnant, as some medications can cause pregnancy complications. Survival rates after heart transplantation vary based on a number of factors. Survival rates continue to improve despite an increase in older and higher risk heart transplant recipients. Worldwide, the overall survival rate is more than 85% after one year and about 69% after five years for adults.
