Heart Transplant

If one speaks of a heart plantation, it is the common treatment when the heart reaches the end stage and cannot be saved due to any medication.  The first time a heart transplant was done in our country was by Dr PK Sen although the patient developed pulmonary hypertension and unfortunately did not survive. But that was just the beginning because later a successful heart transplant surgery happened at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi in the year 1994 and the patient survived the next 14 years. From that period multiple successful heart transplants have been performed to date.

Factors for heart plantation success rates

The following factors have contributed to the increase in the success rates of heart transplants.

1. According to WHO, there has been a significant increase in the number of centers that perform heart transplants. The National Organ and Tissue Organization (NOTTO) records and helps in organ transplantation and helps in creating awareness with the help of programs and activities and has led to an increase in the number of donors and consequently heart plantations.
2. Another very crucial contributing factor is the advances in medical technology and surgical techniques that have made post-surgical care very comprehensive and the process very safe. Additionally, the usage of advanced circulatory devices such as ventricular assist devices helps in stabilizing the patient while waiting for the transplant.
3. The introduction of immunosuppressive medications that control the body’s attack on the foreign organ has increased the organ being accepted better by the body and has considerably improved the outcomes for recipients.
4. There has been a marked improvement in the diagnostic processes and overall awareness of heart issues that has made detection very timely for the cases that require transplantation. Moreover, the treatment options have also increased for heart failures so that the fatalities are lesser as people wait for their turn to receive the donor’s heart.
5. Initially only a few people were cleared for a heart transplant. Now the criteria have expanded and include people with multiple heart problems.
6. One can't deny that there is a definite increase in the aging population numbers. This section of people is more likely to suffer from heart issues thereby increasing the need for heart transfer operation.
7. Last but not least there is continuous research in the area of heart transplant procedure, medication, and technique. This has made heart plantation more accessible, and more affordable and the success rate has increased.
8. Rehabilitation and the concept of continuum care is now a well-known thing in the Indian subcontinent. Cardio rehab helps the patient recover completely before they are able to live independently at home. This has greatly helped in the success of heart implantation surgeries and the patients are urged with the recommended exercises, counseling on psychology and diet which aids them in healing as best as they can.
9. People have also begun practicing better hygiene and have brought significant alterations into their behavior in that they are doing more exercise, stopped consuming junk foods, and started having more quality sleep. This has benefited by increasing the endurance of people who have received a heart transplant as well as boosting their standard lives.

Fortis hospitals have stood as a beacon of hope for heart implantation surgeries. The hospitals are the epitome of modern medicine and offer renewed life to all those with end-stage heart failure. They have worked hard to evolve the procedure into a life-saver and ensure that all the fine details of the process are given utmost importance along with training the staff to be most compassionate for the best patient outcomes.

The team of experts consists of Dr. Ajay Kaul, Dr. Ashok Seth, Dr. Vivek Jawali, Dr. Anil Saxena, Dr. Atul Mathur, Dr. Praveer Agarwal, Dr. Shiv Kumar Choudhary, Dr. Z S Meharwal, Dr. (Col) Manjinder Sandhu to name a few of them. They are a team of highly experienced and skilled doctors with the primary aim of helping heart patients live a normal life.