Dr. Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale

Heart Transplantation

Heart Transplantation

When heart disease is advanced, they no longer improve with only medications. This is called Heart Failure and heart becomes weak. Patient will be breathless after a few steps or even at rest. They require frequent hospital admissions. This may be due to decreased blood supply to heart (coronary artery disease) or advanced valve problems. Then the only solution to such patients is Heart Transplantation where in the weak heart is removed and replaced by a healthy heart from another brain dead donor. 10 yr survival is more than 70%. There are people who are living for more than 25years after transplantation. The longest survivor after heart transplantation is still living 35 years after transplantation in USA.

Dr.Gokhale did the first successful heart transplantation in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh advanced lung diseases in 2004. So far this team did 50 heart transplants. Dr Gokhale CT Associates also has the distinction of doing heart transplant successfully on a 69 year old man (oldest person to undergo heart transplant in India) in 2011.

heart transplantation in hyderabad

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the procedure for a heart transplant?

Heart transplantation is a surgical procedure where a patient’s diseased heart is replaced by a healthy heart procured from an organ donor, who is declared brain-dead by the healthcare providers.

Who is eligible for heart transplantation in India?

Heart transplantation is considered an option when the patient’s heart is failing and other treatment procedures are proven ineffective.

Since heart transplantation is a complex and advanced procedure the current medical status of the patient is taken into the account before making him eligible for heart transplantation in India.

Psychological and social evaluation, blood tests, diagnostic tests, health history and physical examination of the patient are performed by health care providers to evaluate the eligibility and ensure the patient’s ability to withstand this major and complex surgical process.

Eligibility for heart transplantation in India is determined by the heart transplantation surgeon after evaluating all the above factors.

Can a heart transplant cure congestive heart failure?
Given the failure the heart is replaced by a healthy heart of a donor, yes, heart transplantation is the best available treatment option to cure congestive heart failure. However, heart transplantation is reserved for high-risk patients and is considered only when other treatment options like medications, diet or impanation of ventricular assist device do not provide favourable outcomes.
What heart conditions require a transplant?
Heart transplantation is usually considered for patients suffering from end-stage heart failure and no longer see favourable results from other medical treatments. So there are many reasons for heart failure to happen, but the most common heart conditions that lead to heart transplantation include:

  • Heart attack;
  • Cardiomyopathy;
  • Coronary heart disease;
  • Heart valve disease;
  • Congenital heart disease;
  • Arrhythmia.