11 Things You Need to Know About Heart Transplants (From the Team Who Performed 500 Heart Transplants)

The Nebraska Medicine Heart Transplant Team is celebrating its 500th heart transplant. And wow, their hearts are full.

“500 transplants gives so many people a second chance at life,” says Brian Lowes, M.D., Ph.D., a specialist in progressive heart failure and transplant cardiology. specializes in He attributes the exciting milestone to the team’s high level of expertise. “We are using next-generation technology here, and our surgeons are gearing up to be able to transplant more organs.”

Cardiac Surgeon John Um, MD is thrilled to be part of a business that will change minds and lives. “Working on such a common problem is on the cutting edge of the latest technology and is very satisfying for me as a professional.”

Get 11 heart transplant facts from leading transplant centers in your area.

1. Transportation is much more advanced than putting your mind on ice.

“A few years ago, the only option for storing and transporting hearts was static storage—stopping the heart with cardiac arrest and then putting it in an ice bath,” says Dr. Um.

The shelf life of the heart on ice is approximately 4 hours, which limits the distance the heart can travel as well as the complexity of the manipulation.

Recently, heart transplant transportation has improved greatly thanks to portable boxes that keep the heart warm and active. explains. “Because the heart is beating and perfused, it can last longer during transport.”

2. Thanks to DCD hearts, more hearts are available than before.

Until about two years ago, all transplants were from brain-dead donors. However, death is more common because the heart stops beating. This limited the number of organs that could be transplanted.

But now, surgeons can also use organs from donors whose heart has stopped. “By some estimates, DCD has expanded the donor pool by 25% to 30%. It’s a rapidly evolving field because the surgery is new. Every transplant center can offer this new type of heart transplant. Not really,” he says, Dr. Um.

3. COVID-19 vaccine can be given before or after heart transplant.

“We recommend that patients receive all vaccines before surgery because they respond better to pre-transplant vaccines than post-transplant immunosuppressive therapy,” Dr. Lowes said. “But we also vaccinate after transplants. There is an increased risk of COVID-19 infection after transplants, but vaccination prevents it.”

In fact, Nebraska Medicine has an infectious disease doctor who specializes in transplants. “Another reason to come here,” says Dr. Lowes.

4. Surgery takes 3 to 8 hours.

Things that affect timing include how quickly the organ arrives. “If the heart comes to us quickly and the patient has never had heart surgery, the surgery can be very short,” Dr. Um says. People can take longer.”

5. Our surgeons can even transplant hearts from Hepatitis C and COVID-19 donors.

Some centers cannot process cardiac complications from Hepatitis C-positive or COVID-19-positive donors. Our surgeons have experience transplanting these hearts safely, easing some of the donor shortages. It helps people live longer and have a better quality of life,” says Dr. Lowes.

6. Can heart transplant patients have babies? It depends.

“Men can have children after a heart transplant,” says Dr. However, it is more complicated for women. Pregnancy puts extra strain on the heart, and anti-rejection medications that patients must take for the rest of their lives can harm the developing baby.

If you want children, talk to the heart transplant team.

7. Recovery time after heart transplantation varies.

Heart transplant patients typically stay in the hospital for about two and a half weeks. Most people feel significantly better after 4-6 weeks, but it depends on the patient’s medical history and health.

8. Will you drink alcohol or smoke weed after the transplant? Not a good idea.

Heart transplant patients should not drink alcohol because of drug interactions.

“The lifespan of the heart depends to some extent on how committed the patient is,” says Dr. Lowes. “It’s a lot of work. They take their medications daily, monitor their problems regularly, and adhere to overall follow-up and care. The good news is that if people get heart transplants and take care of them, means you can live longer.”

Similarly, weed is not good for people with transplanted hearts.In addition to the risk of emphysema and chronic bronchitis, marijuana is not perpetual for several health reasons, including inhalation injuries and cancer-causing chemicals. can cause serious damage.

9. Heart transplant patients can take ED drugs under medical supervision.

Under the supervision of a doctor, patients can generally take erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra. People taking nitrates may not be able to consult a doctor. “Generally, we want people to resume normal aspects of life,” says Dr. .

10. Heart transplant rejection can be reversed with early treatment.

It is likely to be rejected and expected as part of recovery. Heart transplant rejection is when the immune system sees the transplanted heart as a threat and tries to attack it.

Heart transplant patients take strong drugs to prevent rejection. It is important to take all medicines as directed.

“There are excellent treatments for heart transplant rejection,” says Dr. Lowes. “It can often be diagnosed and treated before it damages the heart.” Treatment is most effective when started early. So if you experience symptoms of rejection, such as unusual fatigue or shortness of breath, contact your transplant team immediately.

11. Life-saving decisions can be made today.

People on waiting lists for organs usually have end-stage organ disease that greatly impacts their quality of life and may be nearing the end of their lives. Receiving an organ can be a life-changing event for these people.

Register as an organ donor. One organ donor could save eight of her lives.