Heart Transplant

About Heart Transplant

A heart transplant replaces a severely diseased or failing heart with a healthy donor heart, generally considered for patients with advanced heart failure that has not responded to medication, devices, or other surgical treatment. Because a suitable donor heart must come from a deceased donor and be matched for blood type and body size, candidates are placed on a waiting list and undergo thorough evaluation to confirm they are fit for surgery and long-term immunosuppression. During the operation, performed with the patient on a heart-lung bypass machine, the diseased heart is removed and the donor heart is connected to the major blood vessels, typically taking four to six hours. Recipients spend time in intensive care immediately afterward and remain in hospital for several weeks while doctors monitor for rejection and infection and adjust lifelong anti-rejection medication. Regular biopsies of the new heart are performed in the early months to check for rejection. India's transplant programs manage the full pathway from evaluation to post-transplant care, though international patients should be aware that donor heart availability and waiting times vary depending on local allocation processes. Extended stays of several weeks to months are typically required to cover the waiting period, surgery, and recovery.