A heart transplant can be lifesaving
For people with advanced heart failure, a heart transplant may be a lifesaving alternative when other treatments haven’t been successful. If you or a loved one has been referred to a cardiovascular surgeon to discuss a heart transplant, our Heart Transplant Program deliver the expertise and personalized care you want, with the compassionate care you need.
Who is a candidate for heart transplant surgery?
People who receive a heart transplant often have advanced heart failure, which is heart failure that hasn’t responded to lifestyle changes, medications or other forms of treatment. The condition has worsened to the point where symptoms are severe and occur even when the person is at rest, which can have a serious impact on their quality of life.
Heart transplants can also be a solution for people with:
- Heart valve disease
- Life-threatening heart arrhythmias that do not respond to other treatments
- Specific complications from heart attacks that have permanently affected the structure and performance of the heart
- Advanced conditions, such as amyloidosis, sarcoidosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which affect the heart muscle or restrict how the heart functions
- Types of congenital heart disease that cannot be corrected with surgery
Benefits of heart transplant
A heart transplant can improve your quality of life. When the transplant is successful, you will no longer experience symptoms of heart failure. You’ll also have more energy and can often return to activities you had to stop due to your heart failure.
Finding and receiving a new heart
When you have a heart transplant, your heart will be replaced with a donor heart.
You will be matched to a donor heart based on your body size and blood type. Finding a donor heart can be a lengthy process, and you may need additional treatments while you wait.
You will meet with a cardiologist and a cardiovascular surgeon to discuss possible treatments. Your team may recommend a ventricular assist device (VAD). Sometimes called a “bridge to transplant” therapy, a VAD helps your heart function while you wait for a donor heart to become available.
Based on your diagnosis and other factors, your team may recommend other medications or treatments to prolong the life of your existing heart and help it work as well as possible.
The donor registry process
Before the search for a donor heart begins, you will have screening tests to determine the best treatment path for you. Not everyone is a suitable candidate for heart transplants, and these tests offer the information your team needs to determine whether you qualify for a heart transplant or another treatment.
If you and your team decide to proceed with an organ transplant, you will have additional blood tests, imaging, and tissue and blood typing to find a donor match.
You will then be placed on a waiting list at the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which manages the nation’s organ transplant system. Your place on the list depends on certain factors, including the type and severity of your heart disease.
Once a matching donor heart becomes available, you will be scheduled for surgery immediately. After a heart is removed from a donor, it must be preserved for transport and implanted within four to five hours.
What to expect when you have heart transplant surgery
A heart transplant is a major surgery. Your healthcare team will answer any questions you may have before the procedure and be there to take care of you as you recover.
Recovering from a heart transplant
After you leave the hospital, you will need frequent checkups with blood and imaging tests. Your doctor may also order electrocardiography testing to evaluate your heart rhythm and function.
One major risk of heart transplant surgery is your body and immune system rejecting the new heart. Your cardiovascular surgeon will give you immunosuppressive medications to help prevent rejection. You will need to take these medications for the rest of your life.
For the first six to 12 months, you will need monthly biopsies of the heart muscle. Biopsies can help show if your body is rejecting the donor heart before you have any symptoms. Your doctor will also perform blood tests to check the levels of immunosuppressive drugs in your body and look for signs of side effects.
Full recovery takes about three months, at which point you can return to normal activities if you feel well enough. After the first year, visits to your doctor will become less frequent. Your care team will evaluate your coronary arteries to look for signs of narrowing, usually yearly or every other year. You will also need to continue routine checkups.
A team by your side
You will have a team of support staff and medical specialists throughout the transplant process. In addition to cardiovascular surgeons and cardiologists with expertise in heart failure and heart transplants, you may work with:
- Cardiac rehabilitation specialists
- Financial counselors
- Heart failure coordinators
- Mental health specialists
- Social workers
- Specialists in palliative care, a field of medicine devoted to controlling symptoms and making you comfortable as you recover
- Specialists in the unique health and nutrition needs of people who have had heart transplants
Your destination for heart transplants in Texas
At Baylor Scott & White, we provide the highest level of care with convenient options. With heart transplant locations in North and Central Texas and a wide network of hospitals and clinics, we offer comprehensive services, including emotional and faith support, follow-up care, and rehabilitation close to home.
Baylor University Medical Center
Baylor University Medical Center, part of Baylor Scott & White Health, is a leading destination for heart transplants in Dallas. The Center for Advanced Heart and Lung Disease offers advanced care for complex heart conditions, including heart transplantation, advanced heart failure management and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). You'll have access to education on medication, lifestyle changes and nutrition alongside cardiac rehabilitation at Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital. Celebrating over 1,000 heart transplants since 1986, Baylor University Medical Center remains dedicated to transforming lives with the support of families, care teams and donors.
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple offers the only heart transplant program between Dallas and Austin, with wait times significantly lower than the national average. The multidisciplinary team of specialists provides advanced care for heart failure and transplant patients. Since 2010, our program has integrated patient management protocols across the Baylor Scott & White system. Our expert team includes cardiologists, surgeons, coordinators and support staff, providing 24/7 care and access.
Contact us with questions
Baylor Scott & White transplant staff are committed to helping you understand every step of the heart transplant process—before, during, and after your surgery. Call or message us to connect with a care team member.
Register to become an organ donor
Becoming an organ donor can save lives—potentially more than one. With over 120,000 people on organ transplant waiting lists in the U.S., the need for donors is urgent.