Heart Transplant

Selection of Patients for Transplant

Heart transplantation is considered for men and women less than 65 years old who, except for heart failure, have no other major disease or health problems. Individuals considered for heart transplantation have had maximum treatment for their heart disease, but their heart function continues to decline, and recovery of heart function is not expected. Individuals who use tobacco products, drink alcohol excessively, or use illicit drugs and are unable to change their lifestyle will not be accepted for transplant.

The heart transplant team meets on a regular basis to discuss patients who have been evaluated for heart transplantation. A decision is made whether or not to offer the patient a heart transplant based upon the evaluation and the recommendations of all the heart transplant team members. If the patient is not a suitable candidate he/she will be referred back to their referring physician for continued medical management.

Listing

Once a patient is considered suitable for transplant, they are placed on the national transplant list, which is managed by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). The Georgia Organ Procurement Agency, currently Lifelink of Georgia, works with UNOS to coordinate transplants in this area. There are established rules that determine how potential recipients are ranked on the waiting list. These rules, or allocation policies, were developed by patients and transplant professionals and insure that every patient on the waiting list has a fair and equal chance at receiving the best organ at the best time for a particular patient’s condition.

For more information about listing criteria, please visit the UNOS website.

More Information

If you are interested in learning more about transplant, you can view our Patient Guide to Heart Transplant online.

For more information about the transplant program at MCG Health, please visit the Transplant Program site.