Heart Transplant is a life-changing medical procedure requiring exceptional medical expertise, dedication, and utmost care. It is a surgical transplantation procedure performed on patients having end-stage heart failure. The patient’s heart is replaced by the donor’s heart as a life-saving measure. The CK Birla Hospital has a wide range of experienced heart transplant specialists in Kolkata devoted to providing standard care throughout the heart transplant procedure. However, a heart transplant is the last resort when the patient’s heart starts failing and other treatments become ineffective.
Causes of Heart Failure
- Coronary Heart Disease – Scarred heart tissue results in a buildup of plaque in the arteries that can cause a heart attack.
- Congenital Heart Defect- This type of heart defect happens at birth and is not easy to resolve by usual surgery.
- Valvular Heart Disease- This is a condition where a defect happens in one of the valves of the heart.
- Previous heart transplant failure.
How is Donor Heart Arranged?
The waiting time for a donor’s heart can be short or long depending on the requirements, blood group, and the patient’s number on the waiting list. Predicting how long a patient has to wait for the donor’s heart is difficult. There is no such matching with the donor’s heart as the patient’s heart matches with the best possible match. There are a few parameters on which the patient’s heart matches with the donor’s heart.
- Blood Group
- Size of the Donor Organ
Heart Transplant Surgery Procedure
A heart transplant specialist in Kolkata at CK Birla Hospital conducts surgery as soon as the donor’s heart is there for the patient. There are no delays with the heart transplant and it happens within four hours when the doctor removes the organ from the donor’s heart. As soon as the patient is notified, the heart transplant surgery should take place. In India, the surgery takes a long time in several phases and is an extensive process. While the initial preparation and screening already take place long before the actual surgery takes place.
After Heart Transplant Surgery Procedure
When the surgery finishes, the patient is under observation for a few weeks till everything is normal. The patient will undergo several tests such as heart biopsies, electrocardiograms, and lung function tests after the surgery during the tenure of the patient in the hospital. Now, let’s take a look at a few things that patients must take care of after the surgery is over.
Medications
Keeping the condition of the patient stabilized is of utmost necessity for any heart transplant specialist in Kolkata at CK Birla Hospital. Hence; medicines are usually given to prevent the immune system of the patient from attacking the heart of the donor. However, some side effects are there but that fully depend upon the resisting power of the patient.
Lifestyle Changes
It is always good to change your lifestyle after surgery which includes a proper diet and exercising regularly. Patients should adopt these changes as soon as possible for a faster and better recovery.
Emotionally Supporting the Patient
Giving emotional support to the patient will transform life differently. Family and friends must keep a healthy and cheerful environment near the patient to make him feel better.
Frequently Asked Question
Question:- What is the lifespan of a heart transplant patient?
Answer:- After surgery, the survival rate is around ten years. However, many patients may live even longer if adhering to proper lifestyle, care, and healthy environment.
Bottom Line
Heart transplant surgery costs in India can vary as it largely depends upon several factors like the type of transplant, hospital, health of patient, and facility. However, you can always get a consultation from a heart transplant specialist in Kolkata at CK Birla Hospital for quality care, expert medical advice, and safety.
