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Heart Transplant
- Days In Hospital 10 days
- Outside Hospital Stay 20 days
- Success Rate 66%
Minimum Cost
$ 30000
Maximum Cost.
$ 55000
Overview of Heart Transplant in India
A heart transplant is an operation that takes the damaged or non-functioning heart and replaces it with a healthy heart from a deceased donor. The cause of death of the donor may be considered natural death or some end-stage disease, but the dead person must have a viable heart in good health to transplant into the living recipient. Heart transplantation will only be completed when all the other treatment options have failed, based on the extent of damage to the heart that has resulted in heart failure. Heart transplant is a highly complex procedure and many risks are associated with a heart transplant that may result in the death of a patient during surgery or after.
Some patients may die within the first year after heart transplant surgery. Not all patients with heart failure and end-stage heart disease qualify for heart transplant surgery. Heart transplant surgery is also difficult to do because there are a limited number of organ donors.
Heart transplant surgery is offered only upon the exhaustion of prior aggressive treatments or when the surgery has a more favorable risk-benefit ratio than continued medical management. In India, the one-year post-heart transplant survival rate is about 80-85%, and the five-year rate is 70-75%. Medical management is required indefinitely after a heart transplant, to preserve the health and function of the transplanted heart. Certain medications may be prescribed for heart transplant patients to prevent rejection of the transplanted heart.
What Is A Heart Transplant?
A heart transplant is a medical procedure wherein your heart is removed and replaced with a heart that has been donated by someone else. You must be very sick and ineffective for medical therapy, and you need a new heart to survive, to be given a heart transplant. Because donor hearts are limited, you must also meet stringent criteria to qualify.
Heart transplants, like regular organ transplants, are very complex and risky surgical procedures. After you have a transplant, you will have to be monitored and treated for the rest of your life with the possibility of organ rejection and other complications.
Types of Heart Transplant:
Heart transplants are a last-resort option for patients requiring a replacement heart due to end-stage heart failure, which refers to persistent damage or weakness of the heart that prevents the heart from pumping adequate blood supply to the rest of the body. There are many different causes of heart failure, and most patients being considered for a heart transplant will have one of the following diagnoses.
Cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is a broad term used to refer to any disease characterized by damage to the heart muscle (cardio = heart, myo- = muscle, pathy = disease). An infection or a genetic disease may cause damage to the heart muscle, and in some cases, the cause is unknown (i.e., idiopathic), even after extensive testing is performed.
Coronary artery disease. Blockages in arteries in the heart can lead to heart attacks that cause irreversible injury to the heart.
Congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease describes a defect you are born with in the structure of the heart, and certain forms will lead to end-stage heart failure that may require a heart transplant.
Valvular heart disease. These situations involve damage to the heart valves.
Heart transplant can be performed in both children and adult patients, typically up to age 70 (in some cases, maybe an upper limit of age 75).
Procedure:
The general overview of the heart transplant operation is discussed below:
Preparing the patient: The patient has gone a thorough examination to make sure they are appropriate for heart transplantation. This includes a series of medical tests and the overall health assessments.
Anesthesia: The anesthesia is then given to prevent the patient from experiencing feeling pain or discomfort during the complex heart transplant surgical surgery.
Incision: A surgical incision is made to the patient at the center of the chest to expose the heart easily. The degree of the incision can vary depending on the degree of expertise and/or artistry of the surgeon.
Passing the cannula: Cannulas, which are tubes, are put into the major blood vessels to make blood flow through a newly created pathway going away from the heart, and to a heart-lung machine which temporarily replaces the function of the heart and lung.
Removing the recipient's heart: The surgeon separates the recipient's heart from major blood vessels. The diseased heart is fully removed.
Preparing the donor heart: The healthy donor heart that has been matched to the recipient by blood type and body size is ready for transplant. To maintain viability, the heart is transported in a preservation solution.
Transplanting the donor heart: The donor heart is placed in the recipient's chest and connected to the major blood vessels. The connections are sutured securely to enable blood flow and circulation.
Closing the incision: The incision in the chest is quilted closed by suturing. The incision is cleaned and medications are applied to prevent infection.
Recovery: The patient is managed during recovery with proper management of complications that can delay the recovery process. The medications are used to prevent clot formation and rejection.
Recovery After Heart Transplant
The recovery phase following a heart transplant is an essential period in the recovery process which will require continued vigilance as well as following medical advice. Although expectations for the timeline of the recovery process vary from patient to patient, it can generally be divided into some major phases.
Postoperative Care (Days 1-7)
A patient's initial post-surgery attribute is generally monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU) for up to one week following surgery. During this period, staff will monitor heart function, manage pain, and prevent potential complications. It is not unusual for patients to experience fatigue (more than pre-surgical), swelling, and discomfort following surgery.
Transfer to a General Ward (Days 7-14)
Once stable, the patient will be transferred to a general ward (or step-down care), where they will initiate physical rehabilitation starting with light activities. Patients are encouraged to sit up in bed, walk short distances, and gradually increase their activity. This phase will be critical in developing strength, endurance, and independence.
Home Recovery (Weeks 2-6)
When patients leave the hospital, the healing process continues at home. Patients should expect to rest at regular intervals and gradually increase their activity level over time. Follow-up appointments will be scheduled regularly to monitor heart function and adjust medication levels as needed. Patients must follow immunosuppressive therapy prescribed to help minimize organ rejection.
Long-Term Recovery (Months 1-12)
The first year following the transplant has monumental importance for long-term success of the transplant. Participants will need to have follow-up appointments (including echocardiograms and blood tests) for heart health status and medication levels. Most participants can return to leisure, work, and exercise opportunities within approximately three to six months. The amount of time required will vary depending on each individual's systemic health status and rate of recovery.
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Cost of Heart Transplant in India
The heart transplant treatment expense in India ranges from approximately 30,000 USD to 55,000 USD. The cost can differ as per the amenities of the hospital, the expertise of the surgeon, and the placement of a hospital in some part of India. It can also vary according the complexities of an individual patient at the time of the surgical procedure.
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Indications of Heart Transplant:
The following illnesses may require a heart transplant:
End-stage heart failure
Dilated cardiomyopathy
Restrictive cardiomyopathy
Coronary artery disease
Congenital defects
Valvular heart disease
Inoperable structural heart problems
Genetic or metabolic heart conditions
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Myocarditis
Ongoing amyloidosis that has affected the heart
Re-failed previous cardiac interventions or surgeries
Primary pulmonary hypertension with right sided heart failure
Failed mechanical circulatory support
Severe refractory angina that is unresponsive to other treatment
Certain congenital heart conditions are associated with heart failure
Risk Factors:
Numerous risk factors are involved in the heart transplant procedure:
Severity of the Disease
The severity of the recipient's heart condition can increase the risk related to the transplant surgery, particularly when heart disease is present, and is severe or at the end stage.
Age
Older patients are often seen as having an increased risk of complications or normal functions potentially being affected.
Overall Health
Older adults may potentially be less healthy than hospitalized children or other adults, resulting in increased risk of complications, due to other medical comorbidities like kidney or liver disease, having diabetes, or lung disorder.
Previous surgery or interventions
Prior surgical history or chest surgery could also harm the transplant procedure itself creating more risk.
Size and match
Other risk factors may be the size of the donor heart and if it does not fit appropriately into the size of the recipients chest, as well as the blood type match to the recipient, and matching of their tissue.
Presence of antigens
Antigens in the body are often preexisting antibodies against the new donor organs and the presence of those antigens is again at increased risk of rejection or complications after transplant.
Immunosuppressive drugs
Immunosuppressive drugs can also predispose patients to increased risk of developing and infection, kidney damage, and other diseases.