Every patient who comes to the Hartford Hospital Transplant program with advanced heart failure wants a second chance at life.
Our mission for all of our patients is to make every transplant as good as the program’s first in 1984. That year, Andrzej “Andy” Buczek of Farmington, became the first successful heart transplant recipient in Connecticut history when doctors at Hartford Hospital, led by cardiothoracic surgeon Henry B.C. Low, performed the procedure with a team of surgeons, clinical cardiologists and immunologists.
Since 1984, our program has performed more than 500 heart transplants.
Today, the Heart Transplant team includes heart failure specialists, transplant surgeons, transplant coordinators, transplant nurses, social workers, a transplant psychologist, dentists, nutritionists, transplant pharmacy specialists and infectious disease experts.
We are dedicated to providing comprehensive care from the time the patient is referred to the program and indefinitely after transplantation. There is nothing more rewarding to our entire team than seeing our sickest patients do well following transplant.
Heart Failure Facts
- About 6.2 million adults in the United States have heart failure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- In 2018, heart failure was mentioned on 379,800 death certificates
- Approximately 550,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.
- Congestive heart failure affects people of all ages, from children and young adults to the middle-aged and the elderly
- In 2020, 3,658 heart transplants were performed in the U.S.
What is Congestive Heart Failure?
A healthy heart pumps blood and oxygen to your organs so your body functions properly. With congestive heart failure, a weakened heart muscle can’t keep up with the body’s needs to pump out blood. When this happens, fluid builds up in the lungs or other parts of the body.
Signs of heart failure:
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling tired
- Swelling in the feet/ankles/legs
- Weight gain
- Loss of appetite/upset stomach
Potential heart transplant recipients are usually referred to Hartford Hospital when their cardiologist finds that their heart function has worsened despite changes in lifestyle, diet and medications. Your cardiologist might recommend an examination at Hartford Hospital to determine the best treatment for your condition, which might be a transplant.
Some causes of heart failure that result in heart transplantation:
Primary cardiomyopathy: A weakened heart muscle with no other signs of cardiac issues.
Coronary artery disease: Narrowing or blocking of the coronary arteries.
Dilated cardiomyopathy: An enlarged, dilated and weakened left ventricle, the heart’s primary pumping chamber, can’t pump blood as it should
Valvular heart disease: A damaged or defective heart valve (mitral, aortic, tricuspid or pulmonary).
Congenital heart disease: A structural heart problem that’s a birth defect.
Inoperable hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Thickened heart muscle that makes it more difficult to pump blood.
Learn More
If You’re a Candidate for a Heart Transplant
You may be referred to Hartford Hospital if your heart is getting weaker despite healthy habits, diet changes and medicines.
Your Care Team:
- Heart Failure Cardiologist: A heart doctor who checks how well your heart is working and cares for you before and after your transplant.
- Transplant Coordinators: Specially trained nurses who gather your health information, answer your questions and help coordinate your care.
- Social Workers and Psychologists: Help make sure you have the support you need and are emotionally ready for a transplant.
- Transplant Dietitian: Teaches you about heart-healthy eating and foods to avoid after your transplant.
- Transplant Pharmacist: Helps manage your medicines and teaches you about the medications you'll need after your transplant.
- Financial Coordinator: Helps you understand insurance coverage and the costs of treatment and medications.
- Infectious Disease Doctor: Checks your vaccines and looks for any risk of infection.
- Transplant Surgeon: Explains the surgery and reviews information about the donor heart.
If you're approved for a transplant, your name is added to the national transplant waiting list. How long you wait depends on factors such as available donor hearts, your blood type, and how urgently you need a transplant.
While You’re Waiting: Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD)
A heart pump, or Ventricular Assist Device (VAD), can save the life of a patient awaiting a transplant. Known as "bridge to transplant" devices, they sustain your heart and improve your physical condition for surgery.
Mechanical Support Options:
- LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device): A mechanical pump that helps the left side of the heart move blood to the rest of the body. Hartford HealthCare utilizes the HeartMate series and vented electric devices.
- ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation): A machine that takes over the work of the heart and lungs by adding oxygen to the blood and pumping it through the body outside the heart.
- Impella: Often called the world's smallest heart pump, Impella is a catheter-based device that helps the heart pump blood during certain high-risk procedures. Different Impella devices can provide support for either the left or right side of the heart.
Heart Failure Infusion Program
Our clinic helps people with advanced heart failure feel better and improve their quality of life. We offer:
- VAD Management: Expert care for patients with heart pumps
- IV Medication: Medicines given through a vein to help improve symptoms and remove extra fluid from the body.
- Nutrition and Rehabilitation: Guidance on a low-salt diet and personalized cardiac rehabilitation plans to help build strength and support recovery.
Signs of heart failure to watch for:
- Shortness of breath, especially during activity or when lying down
- Feeling tired or having low energy
- Swelling in the feet, ankles, or legs
- Sudden weight gain caused by extra fluid
- Loss of appetite or an upset stomach
Contact Hartford Hospital Transplant Coordinators at 860-972-4219