Pediatric Cardiology

Heart Transplantation

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A heart transplant is a surgical procedure performed to remove the diseased heart from a patient and replace it with a healthy one from an organ donor. In order to remove the heart from the donor, two or more doctors must declare the donor brain-dead. Before a person can be put on a waiting list for a heart transplant, a doctor makes the determination that this is the best treatment option available for the person's heart failure.  The most common reason is that one or both ventricles have aren't functioning properly and severe heart failure is present. Ventricular failure can happen in many forms of congenital heart disease, but is more common in congenital defects with a single ventricle or if long-standing valve obstruction or leakage has led to irreversible heart failure. While a heart transplant is a major operation, your chance of survival is good, with appropriate follow-up care.