Heart Transplant Surgery- How to Prepare and What to Expect?

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An individual with a severely end-stage diseased or permanently damaged heart can only live long with a healthy donor heart. A heart transplant surgery is a complex, major cardiac operation where end-stage heart failure patients can save their lives, even after their hearts are not responding to other treatments, says a Heart Doctor in Delhi. It involves the removal of the diseased heart, the implantation of a healthy donor heart, and the connecting of blood vessels. Though it's saving, it carries serious risks, and hence, patients require lifelong heart health monitoring. Read on to understand the process in brief.

  • Pre-Surgery Preparation

 

The patient is thoroughly assessed for overall health. Various tests, including blood tests and imaging tests, are conducted to check for any issues that could harm the heart's health or increase the chances of donor heart rejection. A transplant team is asked to identify a suitable donor heart for the patient. As soon as a matching donor heart is available, the patient should promptly go to the hospital for transplantation. Before heart transplantation, the patient must refrain from tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drug use and get their medications adjusted. 6-8 hours of fasting are necessary before the surgery to avoid anaesthesia-related complications.

  • What to Expect During Surgery?

 

The patient will be unconscious due to the effect of general anaesthesia and so won’t feel pain. A heart-lung machine will be put to work to temporarily take over the heart functions and maintain blood circulation when the diseased heart is replaced with a donor heart. To remove the diseased heart, a chest incision is made. After the removal, the donor heart is implanted, and the blood vessels are sewn to it.

 

Next, the heart pumping is closely monitored after the removal of the heart-lung machine. Electrical shocks may be used to start and stabilize the donor heart’s rhythm. When the replaced heart is found to work normally, the surgeon sutures or tapes the chest incision.

  • What to Expect Post-Surgery?

 

The patient has to stay in the intensive care unit for some time (even days) for close monitoring. Pain medications are provided to relieve post-operative discomfort, immunosuppressants to avoid transplant rejection, and antibiotics to prevent infections. Probably, a ventilator would be required to support breathing, and drainage tubes may be placed to drain out excess fluids. After a few days of hospital stay in the recovery room, the patient can return home but would need proper cardiac rehabilitation.

 

The patient will have to attend all follow-up visits to the surgeon and follow the aftercare instructions provided by the heart transplant doctor to ensure long-term good heart health.


 

The new heart means a new life. If you or a loved one are suffering from end-stage heart disease, consult Dr. Sujay Shad, a leading Heart Transplant Doctor in Delhi, for expert advice and care in heart transplantation.

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