Heart Transplantation

Heart Transplantation Care from Leading Cardiologists

Heart transplantation is surgery to remove an unhealthy heart and replace it with a healthy one from an organ donor. To receive a heart transplantation, a cardiologist must first determine that this is the best treatment option for you and place you on a waiting list for a heart transplant.

At Weill Cornell Medicine, our team of leading cardiologists and heart surgeons provide the best possible care and support for heart transplantation. While this is a major operation, your chance of surviving and living a full, healthy life is high with skilled, compassionate care.

Personalized Care for Heart Transplant Patients

At the Weill Cornell Medicine, we provide the most advanced and comprehensive care to our heart transplantation patients — before, during and after surgery.

Before your surgery: Your cardiologist will evaluate you carefully to be sure that heart transplantation is right for you. This may include a psychological evaluation, blood tests, other health tests and vaccines to decrease the chance of developing an infection that may affect the transplanted heart.

If appropriate, you will be placed on the United Network for Organ Sharing list. Your cardiologist will help promote your overall health and well-being as you prepare for your surgery. When a heart is selected to be yours, you will go to the hospital as soon as possible.

After your surgery: You will stay at the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU) for several days so that our team can monitor your recovery. We will prioritize your health and comfort at all times.

When you leave the hospital, your team will monitor you for three months for any sign of infection or that your body is rejecting the new organ (when your body’s immune system treats the new organ like a foreign object and attempts to attack it).

Your heart may need to be biopsied. During a heart biopsy, your cardiologist inserts a catheter (long, thin tube) into a vein in your neck or groin and leads it to your heart. A small sample of heart tissue is removed and then examined in a laboratory. This test will help determine if your new heart needs additional care.

Lifelong care for your well-being: As our patient, we will help you thrive after your heart transplant surgery. We will determine a personalized care plan to help you achieve the best possible health. This will include:

●      Immunosuppressant medications to prevent your immune system from attacking your new heart

●      Other medications, such as antibacterial, antiviral or antifungal medications

●      Diet, nutrition and exercise support

●      Integrative health and well-being services

●      Psychological support