The Heart Transplant Journey at Hopkins
Entering the Hopkins System
The Transplant Evaluation
The Waiting List
The Surgery
After the Transplant
Entering the Hopkins System
Patients who come to Johns Hopkins receive a thorough evaluation by leading experts in heart disease. Hopkins sees patients as people with complicated illnesses, for which transplantation may be one among several treatment options. Some patients are quickly placed on the heart transplant list. Others are managed medically, some acquiring mechanical assistive devices before transplantation becomes necessary. Hopkins cares about patient comfort during the waiting period. The team works closely with patients, local cardiologists and internists to keep patients well while they wait.
The Transplant Evaluation
During the transplant evaluation, candidates meet with the transplant surgeon, a cardiologist, social worker and a nurse coordinator to review all aspects of the transplantation process. Click here to link to Heart Team.
We will perform a large number of tests to determine if you are a good candidate for transplantation and if transplantation is a good option for you. These tests will include routine blood work, tests to look at your immune system, a chest X ray, tests to evaluate your lung and kidney function, and specific tests depending on the results of these tests.
The average time to complete the evaluation process is one- to two-months; for some it may be shorter or longer, depending upon the circumstances and/or a complex medical history. Patients can take an active role in moving the evaluation testing along by following through on completing those tests that are needed. Once the evaluation testing is complete, it will be reviewed and additional tests will be performed if necessary. Then, the transplant team meets and reviews all of the testing information. All members of the transplant team —surgeons, cardiologists, psychologists, nurses and social workers—are consulted and a decision is made about placement on the transplant list.
The Waiting List
After being approved for transplantation, patients are immediately put on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list. How long one must wait for a heart depends upon a number of factors, including how well the organ matches, based on blood type, body size, and the length of time on the list. Additionally, there are three status levels based on specific criteria so that the sickest patients have highest priority for the potential heart.
The Surgery
Patients can be called into the hospital for the transplant at any time. When the call comes, patients proceed to the emergency room to prepare for surgery. Then they are transferred to the inpatient transplant nursing unit to await transport to the operating room.
The surgery takes about six hours. The patient goes to the intensive care unit after surgery and then to the transplant unit. Typically, the length of stay for heart transplant patients averages seven to ten days.
After the Transplant
The transplant team, including surgeons, cardiologists, nurses, dietitians and social workers, follows transplant recipients throughout their recovery. Early after transplant, intensive teaching with you and your family will be performed so that you can learn all that you need to about your medications and life after transplant. Patients are seen as needed in the outpatient clinic. They are seen quite frequently early after transplant and then less frequently as they improve. Arrangements can be made for blood drawing and medication management through patients’ primary care physicians. Partnering with community physicians is an important part of the transition.
