Most people who are considering heart transplantation can remember the news stories about early recipients. And while the technical know-how of a heart transplant procedure was impressive, the early results were not. Today, the stories have changed dramatically, Eighty to 90 percent of heart transplant recipients reach their first year anniversary and 60 to 70 percent celebrate their ten-year anniversary. The quality of life for the heart transplant recipient has improved as well, with about 90 percent returning to a very active lifestyle after surgery, with the "typical" patient regaining about 80 percent of their normal physical capacity. The difference over the past 30 years has been the development of a lifelong program of care for each patient, beginning before a decision in favor of a transplant is even made, and continuing throughout the transplant recipient's life. The Saint Francis Heart Transplant Program was developed in 1993 to bring this comprehensive, life-saving care to patients in the Tulsa region.
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The Decision to Proceed
Heart transplantation is a treatment for what is called "end-stage"
heart disease, meaning that without a heart transplant, your life is at risk
because of your weakened or damaged heart. The urgency of surgical intervention,
however, varies considerably. Some patients are able to continue living at
home, and some patients require hospital care while waiting for a matching
heart. A comprehensive evaluation, including medical tests, and psychological
consultations is designed to help you and the transplant team determine if a
heart transplant is the best option.
Some of the terms you will become familiar with as a patient or family member include:
- Tissue and Blood Type, which determine the type of heart required for a "match"
- Social Support System, which refers to the availability of friends and family through the waiting period, surgery, and follow-up care.
- Immunosuppressant Therapy, which is the lifelong use of specific medications that help your body avoid rejection of the heart transplant.
The decision to proceed toward transplantation is based both on
statistical information -- the percentages that tell how severely your life will
be affected without a transplant -- and on personal feelings, as well as you and
your family's understanding of, and commitment to, the demands of the transplant
operation and also the lifelong compliance with self-monitoring and medications.
A decision in favor of transplantation means entering into a partnership with
the transplant team, with you and your family playing a vital role in treatment
planning, communications and follow-up.
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