Heart Transplant

Heart transplantation is a life-saving treatment for patients with heart failure (where the heart is no longer able to pump blood) that cannot be cured by other treatments. Heart failure can be caused by birth defects, viruses or by a wide range of heart diseases.

UHN’s Heart Transplant Care Area
Our heart transplant care area is world-renowned. We perform approximately 20 transplants a year, with a comprehensive team that includes cardiologists, anesthetists, a transplant coordinator, social workers, a psychiatrist/psychiatric nurse, physiotherapists, nutritionists and transplant mentors.

Patients in the heart transplant care area are supported by the heart transplant team at all stages. We assess patients through tests and interviews to find out if a candidate is suitable for a heart transplant. When this assessment is complete, suitable candidates, with the help of their transplant team, may decide to go onto the transplant waiting list. Patients and families are provided with support and education throughout the transplant process to help them prepare for the transplant surgery and recovery process.

After the transplant surgery, patients are monitored for rejection and placed on special medications. Before patients are discharged, they are educated about their medications and post-transplant care. Social workers, psychiatrists and mentors are also available to help patients handle the stress associated with the transplant process.

For more information, visit the Multi-Organ Transplant Program Web site.