Heart transplant is a surgical procedure where the diseased or failed heart is replaced with a heart from a brain dead patient.

What are the indications of heart transplant?
A heart transplant is a surgical transplant procedure performed on patients with end-stage heart failure or severe coronary artery disease when other medical or surgical treatments have failed.

Who cannot receive a heart transplant?
Patients with advanced kidney, liver or lung diseases, patients with active malignancies or active infections and patients with high pulmonary vascular resistance cannot have a heart transplant.

Pre transplant procedures
Heart transplant involves lots of tests that need to be performed to confirm the health status of the patient. Also a lot of lifestyle modifications have to be made well in advance of the transplantation. You should be always ready for the transplant as you never know when you will be called.

Transplant surgery
Heart transplant surgery is a less complicated surgery .An incision is made through the breastbone. The failed heart is removed and the donor heart is transplanted and all the blood vessels are connected.

After the transplant
You will be able to leave the hospital within two weeks. Immunosuppressants, the medication that prevents your body from rejecting the heart has to be taken daily without fail. You will have to strictly adhere to the diet, medications, lifestyle modifications and follow ups as prescribed to stay without complications.