What happens in a heart transplant?

When a heart becomes available, a suitable recipient is quickly located and told to get to the hospital immediately. At the same time, a combination of police, ambulance and helicopters race the donated organ to the hospital. A heart may travel hundreds of kilometres from donor to recipient, sometimes across international boundaries. But to save time, the European computerized system, Euro transplant, tries to locate recipients who live as close to the donor as possible.

To prepare a patient for a heart transplant, the surgeon cuts into the chest and ties off the blood vessels leading to and from the recipient’s heart. The recipient’s blood supply is then redirected through the heart-lung machine, which replaces the function of the patient’s own heart and lungs. The faulty heart is taken out, and the new organ is placed in the space. The new heart is then connected to the major veins and arteries before the recipient’s blood is diverted through the new organ. The surgeon then sews up the chest and the operation is complete.

 

Picture Credit : Google