Heart Transplant Surgery

If you need heart transplant surgery, you will be added to a national computerized waiting list. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) oversees organ allocations in the U.S. LifeLink of Georgia serves Emory Healthcare. You may be able to wait for a new heart at home. If you are receiving treatment, you may need to stay in the hospital.

Generally, the donor heart should match your approximate size and blood group. People on the waiting list receive priority if they:

• Are the sickest
• Can benefit the most
• Have waited the longest

The Georgia Transplant Foundations’ Mentor Project can connect you with someone who has had a transplant. You can talk with them about your concerns.

If you are waiting for a heart transplant, you may need an advanced form of life support. For some heart or lung failure patients, we offer extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

ECMO is a life-saving machine that works as both your heart and lungs. It keeps your oxygen levels steady.

ECMO is not a cure. It is the highest form of life support. It gives the body time for the lungs or heart to heal so they can work on their own.

After surgery, you stay in the cardiac surgery intensive care unit (ICU). Typically, you are there for three to four days.

Then, you move to the cardiac surgery floor. Here, nurses and physical therapists help you regain your strength. If you are recovering well, you may go home after three to four days.

For the best outcome, you will have to take several medicines. The Emory Heart & Vascular team will teach you and a family member about your medications. We will review the purpose, dosage and possible side effects of each.

As an additional resource, Emory Healthcare offers the Mason House. This is a low-cost home away from home for you and your family.

Complications can occur after any surgery. The most common complications that may happen after heart transplant surgery are:

• Graft (transplant) coronary artery disease: Over time, the main vessels in your new heart may narrow and decrease blood flow.
• High blood pressure: Some medicines you must take after a heart transplant can raise your blood pressure.
• High cholesterol: You may develop high cholesterol due to your medications.
• Infection: After surgery, you need medicine that stops your body from rejecting the new heart. This can increase your risk of infection.
• Kidney issues: Some medications can affect your kidneys’ function.
• Rejection: Your body’s immune system may treat your new heart like foreign tissue. You will take medicine to help prevent this.

Your medical team will discuss the warning signs of possible complications. They will provide treatment if necessary.

Emory Heart & Vascular takes a comprehensive approach to heart transplant surgery. Your highly skilled team of specialists includes:

• Cardiologists are doctors who possess specialized knowledge and skill in the diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions and will manage your medical care before and after the transplant.
• Clinical nutritionists will see you before and after your transplant to evaluate your diet and help you maintain a healthy weight. They'll also help you manage any issues with cholesterol and blood sugar.
• Financial coordinators will help you understand the cost of transplantation, explain your insurance benefits and assist you in identifying resources available to you.
• Heart surgeons will perform your heart transplant surgery and supervise your care immediately following your surgery. The transplant surgeon will also follow your progress after you are discharged from the hospital.
• Pharmacists will begin working with you after your transplant and, along with your transplant coordinator and nurses, will explain the actions, dosages and side effects of your medications.
• Social workers are available for evaluation and supportive counseling for you and your family throughout the phases of transplant.
• Transplant coordinators are registered nurses specially trained to care for patients before and after transplantation. 

Your team works together to provide you with a customized care plan.

To determine if you may benefit from a heart transplant, you and your family have an evaluation. Some of the tests include:

• Echocardiogram: Shows your heart's valves and chambers
• Exercise stress test: Assesses the strength of your heart
• Right heart catheterization: Evaluates how your heart valves work and how much blood is circulating through your heart

We also talk with your family members about supporting you throughout the transplant process.

After completing the initial tests, your physicians will evaluate several criteria. Many people who receive a heart transplant have these characteristics:

• Absence of serious disease, no other medical obstacles to long-term survival
• Drug-free, no active drug, tobacco or alcohol abuse
• End-stage cardiac disease, cannot be treated with medicine or surgery
• Strong support network, family and friends to assist during your recovery
• Under 68 years old, with a life expectancy of at least five to 10 years

If you have questions, talk to your doctor or transplant coordinator. You can also call UNOS at 1-888-894-6361 to learn more about the transplant process.