Heart Transplantation Summary A heart transplant removes a damaged or diseased heart and replaces it with a healthy one. The healthy heart comes from a donor who has died. It is the last resort for people with heart failure when all other treatments have failed. The heart failure might have been caused by coronary heart disease, damaged heart valves or heart muscles, congenital heart defects, or viral infections of the heart. Although heart transplant surgery is a life-saving measure, it has many risks. Careful monitoring, treatment, and regular medical care can prevent or help manage some of these risks. After the surgery, most heart transplant patients can return to their normal levels of activity. However, fewer than 30 percent return to work for many different reasons. NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Specifics About the Operation: Heart Transplant United Network for Organ Sharing What to Expect Before a Heart Transplant National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute What to Expect during a Heart Transplant National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Who Needs a Heart Transplant? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Find an Expert American Heart Association American Heart Association National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Heart Transplantation National Institutes of Health Start Here Getting a New Heart American Society of Transplantation Heart Transplant National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Heart Transplantation (Beyond the Basics) UpToDate Living With Guide to Your Health Care: After Heart Transplantation International Transplant Nurses Society MedlinePlus: Cardiac Rehabilitation National Library of Medicine What to Expect After a Heart Transplant National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Reference Desk Heart Anatomy Texas Heart Institute How the Heart Works National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Children Heart Transplant American Heart Association When Your Child Needs a Heart Transplant Nemours Foundation Array Heart transplant Heart transplant – slideshow Heart-lung transplant – slideshow Related Issues Implantable Medical Devices American Heart Association Total Artificial Heart National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Ventricular Assist Device National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute What Are the Risks of Heart Transplant? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Encyclopedia Myocardial biopsy Ventricular assist device Journal Articles Heart Transplantation Statistics and Research Transplant Program Reports Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients
