A heart transplant is a surgical procedure to treat severe heart-related conditions. In this process, the failing organ is replaced with a healthier donor heart. The surgical procedure of treating heart-related problems is reserved for patients not recovering from other treatment methods. Over the past few decades, the prognosis for patients with heart transplants has significantly improved. Keep reading to learn more about heart transplants, the recovery period associated with this procedure, and more.
Importance of a heart transplant
A heart transplant is required for patients who do not recover from other treatment procedures and surgeries and have higher chances of having heart failure. In kids and teenagers, heart failure can be caused by Cardiomyopathy or congenital heart defect. Meanwhile, in adults, the major situations that demand a heart transplant are listed below.
- Cardiomyopathy
- Heart valve disease
- Coronary artery disease
- Arrhythmia
- Failure of a last heart transplant
- High blood pressure in the lungs
However, a heart transplant may not be appropriate for someone with the following conditions-
- An existing heart condition already in the advanced stage
- Other life-threatening health conditions
- Having an active infection
- Recent history of cancer
Procedure
A normal heart transplant procedure takes an average of 4 to 6 hours. In this timeline, the patient gets general anesthesia and is taken to the surgery hall. A heart-lung bypass machine is then connected to keep the required oxygen-rich blood flowing throughout the body.
After the extraction process, the pulmonary vein openings and the wall of the left atrium will be left undamaged and ready to accept the donor’s heart. The replaced heart may then function regularly. The surgeon stitches the donor organ into the main artery and vein and removes the bypass machine. Sometimes, an electric shock is required to evoke a heartbeat.
Recovery period
Typically, it takes approximately two weeks to a month to stay at the hospital after a heart transplant. During the first few days or months, patients are kept under monitoring for infection, emergencies if their bodies reject the new heart or other complications. Although most people can return to normal life after a few months, regular check-ups are needed after the surgery. Recovery from a heart transplant can take a longer time (up to 6 months), depending on the strength of the body and proper healthcare follow-up.
Risks of heart transplant
Just like any surgery, chances for complications are there with heart transplants as well. Some of them are:
- Infection
- Clotting of blood that can cause heart attack or stroke
- Bleeding during or post the operation
- Kidney failure
- Breathing difficulties
Cost of surgery
The exact cost of a heart transplant is not defined as it all depends on the patient’s present health status, complications in surgery, hospital, city, and many more. However, in recent years, the average cost of the procedure in the USA was estimated to be around $1.66 million. Furthermore, other expenses can increase the total cost of the surgery, such as pre-and post-transplant care, doctor’s fees, etc.
A heart transplant is the last option to treat a damaged heart showing signs of possible heart failure. Since the donor organ is a foreign body to the recipient, heart transplant rejection is normal. To deal with this, patients have to take prescription remedies.
