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Multi-Organ Transplant
Heart Transplant
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Heart failure means the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body. Heart transplantation is a life-saving treatment for patients with advanced heart failure who have symptoms despite all other treatments. Heart failure is most commonly caused by coronary artery disease, but can also be caused by viruses or by a wide range of heart diseases.
UHN’s Heart Transplant Care Area
Our heart transplant care area is world-renowned. We perform approximately 20-30 heart transplants a year, with a comprehensive team that includes cardiologists, anesthetists, cardiac surgeons, a nurse practitioner, transplant nurse coordinator, social workers, a psychiatrist/psychiatric nurse, physiotherapists, nutritionists and transplant mentors.
Your pre transplant evaluation consists of a variety of medical tests and interviews with members of the transplant team. The purpose of this evaluation is to make certain that there is nothing else wrong with any of your other organ systems that would increase the risk of heart transplant. Sometimes the assessment will uncover a problem that makes transplantation a poor option for you, or identifies a problem that may need correction prior to the transplant. Patients and families are provided with support and education throughout the transplant process to help them prepare for the transplant surgery and recovery process.
After the transplant surgery, patients are monitored for rejection and placed on special medications. Before patients are discharged, they are educated about their medications and post-transplant care. Social workers, psychiatrists and mentors are also available to help patients handle the stress associated with heart transplantation.
