Heart Transplant is the process which removes the defective or diseased heart and replaces it with the healthy heart which is provided by the donor who may not survive for a long duration. Depending on the patient situation Doctor's will keep the patient on the waiting list for the exact match of the donor and will plan surgery accordingly.
According to Best Cardiologist in Hyderabad, In case of emergency doctors try to get the suitable heart ASAP by recording the patient details and requirements in the industrial portals.
Why is heart transplant needed?
Heart transplant surgery is needed for those who have severe heart failure or heart is very badly affected by any sort of disease or the end stage of the damaged heart.
A person who is failed to get heart treatment successfully will also need a heart transplant.
Heart failure causes due to heart diseases such as coronary heart disease, viral infections, hereditary conditions, etc. According to best cardiac surgeon in Hyderabad India, Few people might be in need of heart transplant at the time of lung transplant surgery because of heart and lung diseases.
Who needs a heart transplant?
A person who is affected with severe heart and other diseases and are not cured even after the treatment is in need of heart transplant surgery. Many best cardiologist in Kukatpally Hyderabad says that heart transplant cannot be performed to the people who are affected by diseases such as diabetic, active viral infections, cancer, etc.
It is hard to undergo surgery with habits such as rapid smoking and drinking alcohol. This category people may need to take various medications to control their habits and need to pass through various psychological and physical tests to keep their body fit. The heart donor should have the capabilities of keeping the patient's immune system to work properly and have the ability to handle the diseases and reduce its factors.
Reasons behind a heart transplant:
People who fall into heart transplant majorly comes into 2 categories:
- Cardiomyopathy (68 %): It is caused due to weakness and stiffness of the muscles. In the initial stage, it can be treated with medication and treatments. If all these fail, the only way is heart transplant surgery survival rate to increase.
- Coronary heart disease (32 %): It is caused due to the blockage and narrowing of the heart blood valves due to the LDL cholesterol. This can also be cured with treatments, coronary bypass surgery and if all the treatments are failed, then a heart transplant is the necessary step to keep a patient alive.
The process to get ready for a heart transplant:
A heart transplant is not performed after admitting to the hospital or whenever the patient says. There is a particular process to follow which initially makes the patient strong and stable mentally and physically.
Then after searching for the apt heart donor doctors will check the donor's physical condition and whether the heart suits the patient or not. Ones all the procedure is done then the heart transplant surgery happens. The following is the step by step procedure which is followed by any best cardiologist surgeon in Hyderabad or any locality.
- Psychological and social evaluation: Social issues such as financial issues, family support will increase the stress on the patient who needs psychological help to relieve stress and get ready for surgery.
- Blood tests: the Basic test is the blood test which helps in finding the best and accurate donor to the patient with all the precautions not to reject the donated heart.
- Diagnosis tests: This test is to check your overall health. To know the lungs, kidneys and other major part functionality and to check the risk factors. The tests may include x-rays, ultrasound, CT Scan, dental exams, pulmonary tests (PTS), diabetics. For women, gynecology, Pap test, mammogram, etc.
- Vaccinations: The doctors prescribe different vaccinations which reduce and prevent various infections which may occur during the surgery which affects heart transplant surgery.
Heart transplant surgery procedure:
The heart transplant surgery procedure purely depends on the patient's heart and body condition and the before, during and after the procedure may vary from person to person and include the following steps in each process.
Procedure Before surgery :
- Clear all the doubts regarding treatment, surgery, medications before joining for the surgery.
- A form is given to the patient and the patient's family to sign it for accepting the surgery and give full permissions. Read it totally and then sign. If you find something wrong, then contact staff immediately.
- Do not be in a hurry and never drink or eat too fast when one's told the time for surgery has come and a heart donor is ready.
- Take medication properly which is given to relax you.
Help and support the surgery team and be polite with them.
Procedure During the surgery:
During a heart transplant, the surgery process will be different depending on the heart condition of the patient. The general heart transplant procedure involves the following steps:
- Initially, jewelry and other ornaments are asked to remove to not make any complications during the surgery.
- The duration of the surgery depends on the patient's health condition, and if the patient has prior heart-related surgeries, it takes more time than the estimated time.
- Anesthesia is given to the patient to make them fall asleep through an injection.
- Then the person is connected to the heart-lung bypass machine for the continuous blood flow with rich oxygen content into the body.
- Then the actual surgery starts by separating the chest bone and opens the rib cage to operate in the internal part of the heart.
- Then the patient's defected heart is replaced with donor heart and surgeon's sew it thoroughly.
- Generally, after this process heart starts beating in the normal rhythm but sometimes there may be in need of an electric shock to make the newly inserted heart beat properly.
- Ones the surgery is successful medication is prescribed and need to be followed to get relief from pain.
- Along with the medication a ventilator and tubes are provided for breathing and to drain the chest from fluids.
- For some time feedings are given through the intravenous (IV) tube.
Procedure After the surgery :
- After the surgery is completed, the patient is kept in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) in special team observation to take care immediately if an emergency occurs.
- After few days which generally depend upon the patient condition, the patient is moved to the general ward and will be in the hospital at least for 1 - 2 weeks.
- If the patient is discharged, then there should be close observation time to time from the outpatient transplant team for at least 2-3 months to notice and check the heart functionality.
- The general observations to check whether the new heart is accepted or rejected by the body include breathing problems, fever, fatigue, weight gain, etc.
- To reduce the rejection levels in the body heart biopsy is performed to the patient for a few months and this process decreases gradually when the body starts accepting the new heart.
- Heart transplant patients need to adjust and rediscover life after surgery to increase the life expectancy after the heart transplant and must consider the following points.
- Taking medication at the time without forgetting or skipping
- Management of heart therapies, lifelong health care plans, and everything should be started under the guidance of the doctor.
- Start using Cardiac rehabilitation which includes exercises, meditation and other diet tips from the expertise team.
- Keep patient stress free and make yourself away from all the mental tensions. Be calm and happy as much as a patient can.
- Best cardiologist in Apollo Hyderabad suggests to always talk to family, friends, and others whoever comes to visit you in limit and be surrounded by positive energy.
Complications after heart transplant:
Various Doctor's statement that the complications of heart transplant indications include various risk factors such as below listed:
- Infection
- Bleeding during or after the surgery
- Breathing difficulties
- Kidney failure
- Donor heart failure
- Death due to surgery failure
- Various heart diseases such as Coronary Heart valve disease
When the new heart is implanted into the patient's body, the immune system doesn't accept it and tries to attack it through its functionality. Continuous medications are necessary to make the habit of the immune system to function properly with the new heart to survive in the new body.
According to the best Interventional cardiologist in Hyderabad, if the medication is missed there are chances of getting the high risk to the life. This medication includes various side effects which depend on the medication prescribed by the best pediatric cardiologist in Hyderabad or the patient location.
Food Precautions after Heart Transplant Surgery:
A dietician from the same operated hospital will follow up with the levels of nutrition factors available in the body after the surgery and prepare a diet chart for every meal according to the body functionality. Each day meals include mainly liquids which help in easy swallowing without hurting heart. The following as the food tips for heart transplant surgery.
- Consume Vegetable juices
- Drink Fruit Juices
- Add Soups in your meals
- Consider Milk and milk products
- Whole grain products such as cereals, oats, bread, etc.
- Restrict salt intake
- Do not drink alcohol
- Stop smoking
- Drink more water
- Avoid unhealthy saturated fats
- Control sugar or glucose content in the food
- Eat fish or poultry meat.
Always follow the diet under the doctors prescription and be careful with the food menu. Doctors advise and approval are necessary before adding any new item to the menu by own. Don't let your heart to reach the heart transplant surgery level. Always keep yourself healthy. Read our other heart articles to know the best foods, exercises and other home tips to be active, healthy and get rid of diseases. Be Strong! Follow Us! Keep healthy! Live Long!
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Author's Bio: Ashreetha Pendkar Is a Healthcare writer, trainer and Digital marketing expert, she loves to read healthcare content and spreading her words about the importance of the health to near & dears.
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