Heart transplant is a surgical procedure performed in order to replace a bad heart with a good one. It is the last option for treating an aggravated heart disorder when medications are not working any more.

Heart Transplant in Adults

Coronary artery disease and idiopathic cardiomayopathy are two heart conditions that may require a heart transplant. It is mostly needed when the heart is not able to pump blood efficiently due to disease. It becomes weaker with time and tries to solve the problem by becoming enlarged. Such a condition is termed as congestive heart failure. In such cases, a new heart becomes a necessity after all medications and devices fail to save your heart.

Heart Transplant in Infants

Babies are born with some heart defects that can require this surgery. The baby might have a weak heart that is not growing as it should be. Or his heart could be having problems pumping blood to other organs of the body. It could even fail and result death if left untreated.

Conditions for a heart transplant:

The donor and receiver should have the same size, almost the same age and the same blood group. The best donors need to have close similarities with the receiver in terms of these characteristics. Also, the donated heart must not be damaged. Once removed from the donor’s body, the heart is viable for use for 2 to 3 hours. Babies have a higher survival rate if the blood group is not matched with the donor’s.

Types:

Heart transplants can be of the pediatric type (for babies), coronary type (for blocked arteries), congenital type (defects like slow growth or bad pumping action) and cardiomayopathy type (to cure dilated heart muscle). They can be done after making sure that the patient qualifies for the treatment and a good donor heart is available in time.

Steps to be taken afterwards:

Medications can be taken to ensure that your immune system does not reject the new heart. Also, keep an eye out for any signs of rejection. Shortness of breath, weight gain and reduced amounts of urine are common signs.

Risks:

If your body does not accept the new heart, it can cause death. Moreover, the heart can fail for the same reasons that the old one did. Narrowed blood vessels or wrong blood type can also cause the death of the patient 30 days after the transplant. The coronary arteries of the donated heart might thicken over the years. This can lead to cardiac arrest and heart failure in many ca

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