Heart Transplantation (HTX)

Cardiac insufficiency, also commonly referred to as heart failure, is the increasing inability of the heart to work efficiently. This goes hand in hand with a loss of physical strength and an increasing lack of resilience. It may be caused by diseased coronary arteries, an inflammation of the myocardium, or changes to the muscle structure of the heart, which can cause it to work less efficiently. If medication is no longer working, heart transplantation may be one treatment option worth considering.

In the final stages of cardiac insufficiency, when the heart's ability to work efficiently is severely restricted, heart transplantation - replacing a diseased heart with one from a donor - can be a successful treatment option. A waiting list for heart transplantation is drawn up based on priority need, with the participation of several specialist disciplines (six-eye principle) and the application of a clearly structured, transparent and wide-ranging examination and decision-making process. This very strict procedure is reviewed at regular intervals by external specialists.

Eurotransplant - a non-profit organization based in the Netherlands - is responsible for arranging the distribution of organs in Germany, the Benelux countries, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia. Four general principles are of importance when deciding who should receive an organ: the anticipated success of transplantation, urgency (as determined by experts), waiting time, and the national organ exchange balance. The likely success of transplantation is predicted partly on the basis of the individual characteristics of the donor and recipient. Once a donor heart has been accepted, the race against time begins.

The harvesting and transportation of the donor organ from donor to recipient, which must be completed within just a few hours, is organized with the help of the German Organ Transplantation Foundation (DSO).

 Currently, there is a one-year survival rate of well over 80% at our center, with roughly one in two patients surviving for at least ten years. Essential aftercare for heart transplant recipients includes lifelong immunosuppression and regular outpatient visits. A healthy and mindful lifestyle are vital if patients are to achieve the optimum results from their heart transplantation.

Sadly, because of the growing number of patients on the waiting list for a donor heart and the lack of potential donor organs, we are unable fully to meet the demand which exists for this form of surgical treatment. Yet despite these issues which are beyond our control, the Heart Center in Leipzig is one of the leading facilities for heart and lung transplantation in Germany.