Best Clinics and Costs for Heart transplant in 2024
17 Recent Heart transplant Reviews: Check Real Patient Experience
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Heart transplant Overview
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Damaged lungs are replaced with healthy ones during transplantation to improve breathing and quality of life.
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The procedure replaces diseased heart and lungs with healthy ones, enhancing life quality and longevity.
- Documents: Passport and ticket copies.
- or
- Deposit:
- Bookimed deposit: $200 or €200.
- Clinic deposit: Pay a set percentage in advance.
Day 1
- Arrive in the country and settle into your accommodation.
- Consultation with a cardiologist about the heart transplant process.
Day 2-7
- Conduct necessary medical tests including blood tests and imaging.
- Meet with other specialists if needed (e.g. pulmonologist, nephrologist).
- Prepare for operation, which includes nutritional planning and psychological support.
Day 8
- Undergo the heart transplant surgery under general anesthesia.
- The operation may last around 4-6 hours.
Day 9 - Week 2
- Recover in the intensive care unit under close monitoring.
- Shift to an individual chamber for further recovery.
- Start mild physiotherapy as part of early rehabilitation.
Week 3 - Week 6
- Continue with rehabilitation which includes moderate exercise and physiotherapy.
- Regular check-ups to monitor heart function and overall health.
Week 7 onwards
- Gradually return to normal activities.
- Can return to work by Week 8 post-operation.
- Final results of the transplant are usually seen by Week 12.
Please note: Each patient"s recovery process is unique and may vary based on individual health conditions and response to the transplant.
How Much Does Heart transplant Cost? Find Out Now
Turkey | Austria | Spain | |
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Heart transplant | - | - | - |
The total cost is calculated individually. It may range depending on your medical issue, doctor's qualification, procedure complexity and related complications (if they occur). You’ll get the exact price for a plastic surgery procedure after a consultation with a doctor. |
There are the best heart transplant hospitals below. This rating was composed considering the experience and qualifications of transplant surgeons, success rate of operations, and availability of specialized equipment. Medical tourists and citizens of India queue in the same wait list. Approximate wait time for receiving organ donor is about 6-8 months. Success rate of heart transplant is up to 93%.
During heart transplant operation malfunctioning heart of the recipient is swapped with the heart of the donor. A donor is a deceased person, whose relatives gave permission to use their organs for transplants. Operation is performed by a transplant team and lasts for 4-6 hours. A patient is under general anesthesia during the process.
Memorial Şişli Hospital in Istanbul is the largest multidisciplinary medical center in Istanbul. It is the 1st hospital in Turkeу and the 21st in the world accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI) for the high quality of treatment.
Memorial Şişli specialties are the following: oncology, bone marrow transplant, in vitro fertilization (IVF), neurosurgery, and organ transplant. The success rate of organ transplant at Memorial is 90%.
Patients from 92 countries choose Memorial Şişli for treatment annually.
accreditations:
Memorial Antalya Hospital is a private multidisciplinary hospital in Turkey. It specializes in medical and radiation oncology, general, plastic, and reconstruction surgery. Memorial Antalya Hospital meets international standards of quality and safety according to the JCI (Joint Commission International), an authoritative organization evaluating world-class medical centers.
accreditations:
Memorial Hospital Bahçelievler (Memorial Bahçelievler Hastanesi) is a multidisciplinary medical center in Istanbul with an eco-friendly design. There are a lot of green areas on the hospital territory, which contribute to patients’ psychological comfort and their speedy recovery.
The medical facility specializes in oncology treatments, cardiovascular surgery, orthopedics, brain surgery, urology, gynecology, general and robotic surgery.
accreditations:
Global Hospital Chennai is a multidisciplinary hospital in Chennai, India, that specializes in organ and bone marrow transplant, cardiology, pulmonology, and oncology. Doctor Sandeep Attawar, a specialist in cardiothoracic surgery, is the Director of the Cardiac Surgery/Thoracic Organ Transplant Program at Global Hospital and offers a Heart Transplant Package with a 85-90% success rate. Bookimed patients and reviews rate the services of the clinic highly.
accreditations:
Heart transplant | $90000 - $96000 |
Global Hospital Mumbai is a private multidisciplinary clinic in India. The hospital is a part of Gleneagles Global Hospitals Group.
The hospital specializes in robotic surgery, gastroenterology, orthopedics, bariatrics (treatment of obesity), and organ transplants.
Global Hospital Mumbai is the 1st facility in the world to transplant the liver simultaneously with the surgical treatment of spinal tuberculosis, and the 1st to perform the combined kidney-liver transplant in Western India.
accreditations:
Heart transplant | $50000 - $96000 |
BGS Global Hospital is a private multidisciplinary hospital in Bangalore, India, specialized in oncology, neurosurgery, and hepatology. For cancer treatment, this hospital uses the last version of radiotherapy equipment, such as TrueBeam STx that accurately irradiates a tumor even in hard-to-reach areas.
Annually, Global Hospital Bengaluru gives treatment for over 53,000 patients. Doctors of this hospital have performed more than 30,000 operations.
accreditations:
Heart transplant | $50000 - $96000 |
Get a Medical Assessment for Heart transplant: Select Your Expert from 8 Experienced Doctors
- Dr. Naci Karacaoglan specializes in advanced heart transplant procedures.
- Utilizes techniques such as ventricular assist devices, total artificial hearts, and minimally invasive transplant surgery.
- International practice includes training at Ankara Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt and Haydarpasa Numune Hospital.
- Renowned for his expertise in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery since 1991.
- Holds essential medical certifications from Turkey’s reputable institutions.
- Member of distinguished medical associations for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
- Offers online consultations, accommodating international heart transplant patients.
- Fluent in Turkish, with proficiency to provide care to a diverse patient base.
- Dr. Raul Felipe Abella, specializes in heart transplants, with 5,000+ cardiac surgeries.
- Utilizes methods like ventricular assist devices, biatrial and bicaval techniques.
- Expert in minimally invasive surgery, robotic-assisted transplants, and donor heart preservation.
- International practice in France, Switzerland, USA, and leading Spanish hospitals.
- Leads Cor Barcelona International Center at Hospital Universitario Dexeus-Grupo Quirónsalud.
- Offers remote consultations for global patients seeking heart transplant expertise.
- Speaks Spanish, English, and Italian, facilitating communication with diverse patients.
- Dr. Barbaros Dokumaci specializes in Heart transplant surgery.
- Employs techniques like ventricular assist devices, ECMO, and minimally invasive surgery.
- Trained internationally in countries renowned for cardiology, exact locations unspecified.
- Board-certified with a focus on transplant cardiology and advanced heart failure.
- Active member of professional societies dedicated to heart transplantation.
- Offers online consultations for Heart transplant evaluations and follow-ups.
- Fluent in multiple languages, providing care for diverse patient populations.
FAQ about Heart transplant
Why receive heart transplant abroad?
The main issue patients face when trying to receive a heart transplant is legal regulations. In most countries, the paperwork and particular laws make the heart transplant (including for children) impossible or very hard to obtain. Patients often wonder how much does it cost for a heart transplant. They think that the price abroad is higher, but in some cases it is 2-3 times lower.
Heart transplant: indications and contraindications
The most common indication for heart transplant is a heart malfunction, which reduces patient life expectancy to 1 year.
Main indications for heart transplant:
- cardiomyopathy (dilatational, ishemical);
- congenital heart defects, reluctant to other treatment methods;
- chronic heart failure;
- arrhythmia;
- ejection fraction indicators are less than 20%.
Ejection fraction indicator represents quantity of blood ejected by heart ventricle during a contraction. Its normal value is 50-75%.
Contraindications for heart transplant:
- infections or chronic diseases exacerbation;
- obesity;
- vascular diseases;
- type 1 diabetes;
- history of brain blood circulation malfunction;
- history or present oncological diseases;
- mental disorders, drug addictions;
- HIV;
- age above 65.
Donor requirements
Heart is transplanted from a cadaver (brain-dead) donor if his or her relatives gave permission to use organs for transplantation. Case of death must be established and cerebral functions must be irrecoverable.
Requirements for heart donor are:
- no chest injuries;
- no history of oncological diseases;
- absence of cardiovascular diseases;
- absence of chronic infections including HIV, hepatitis;
- blood type and heart size are compatible with recipient;
- younger than 60 years.
Heart transplant cost
Average cost of heart transplant is derived from many factors. Following conditions influence heart transplant surgery cost:
- Urgency. Depending on the time frame and life expectancy, additional procedures may be required to keep a patient alive until a donor is found. This may also require airline transfer of donor that otherwise would not reach a patient in time.
- Duration of stay in the country. Duration of stay is determined by donor search time and patient’s rehabilitation period.
- Patient condition. Additional medicines and procedures may be needed to stabilize a patient if their condition is severe.
- Qualification of a doctor performing the surgery.
Preparation for heart transplant
Before being put on waitlist, a patient has to undergo following examinations:
- HIV test;
- blood test on acute and chronic infections (herpes, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus);
- fungal infection screening;
- tuberculosis test (skin test);
- oncology screening;
- coronary angiography;
- chest organs X-ray and lung function evaluation;
- cardiac catheterization for vascular status assessment;
- echocardiography to determine the ejection fraction.
Echocardiography is also performed on patients who are already in a waitlist. It allows to monitor changes in heart functioning so physicians can estimate the time left to find a donor.
Based on individual criteria, doctors prescribe myocardial biopsy. It is carried out if there is a risk of chronic diseases in a patient, such as multiple sclerosis, lupus erythematosus, vasculitis. These diseases are contraindications to transplant.
Types of heart transplant operations
Orthotopic heart transplant
Orthotopic heart transplant is the most common transplantation method. A surgeon removes malfunctioning heart and replaces it with donor one. Cardiopulmonary bypass system is used during the operation.
Heterotopic heart transplant
During the heterotopic heart transplant, donor organ is placed near recipient’s heart. Indications to this type of operation is significant difference in heart sizes of donor and recipient as well as severe pulmonary hypertension.
Mechanical heart transplant
Artificial heart transplantation is a temporary measure for a patient who is already on a waiting list. It is performed if the patient’s condition is worsening and they may not wait for the donor organ. This process is called “bridging to operation”. Artificial heart prolongs life for several months and gives additional time for search.
How to choose heart transplant clinic
When choosing a clinic for heart transplant one should take into account:
- quality of clinic equipment;
- transplant team experience;
- physicians’ qualification;
- previous patients reviews;
- average operation success rates.
Heart transplant waiting time
In most countries, even in top heart transplant hospitals, waiting time for heart transplant exceeds 1 year period, they can prescribe bridging operation to maintain patient's condition until a donor heart is received. This operation presumes implanting of an artificial heart that will keep a patient alive. In India waiting period is around 2-8 months, regardless of citizenship. Note that patient needs to stay in the country where they plan to receive heart transplant, as donor organs expire extremely fast and the operation needs to be conducted as soon as possible.
Heart transplant operation in details
In most heart transplant hospitals the operation lasts for 5 hours, a patient stays under general anesthesia the whole time. The procedure includes the following steps:
- A surgeon makes incisions and saws the rib cage to gain access to the heart.
- A patient is connected to heart-lung bypass device to keep them alive during the operation process. Special catheters are applied.
- Malfunctioning heart of the recipient is replaced with donor one. Transplantologist reconnects and stitches major vessels to the new heart.
- Heart-lung bypass machine starts pumping the heart with enough amount of blood until it starts beating. Sometimes minor electrical shock is required to start the heart.
- Bypass machine is turned off and catheters are removed from patient’s body.
- A surgeon closes the breastbone with special wires and stitches the incision.
Postoperative period
Rehabilitation
After the operation, a patient stays in the intensive care unit (ICU) for 2 weeks under constant monitoring. In pediatric heart transplant centers, this period may last up to 1 month. Any abnormalities and vitals dynamic are recorded to produce adequate medical response. Physicians prescribe required supporting medication quantity of immunosuppressants individually for each patient. The latter is needed to avoid heart rejection. A patient needs to take immunosuppressants during their whole life. Due to immunosuppressants constantly weakening patient’s immune system, physicians advice to stick to hygiene routines and avoid any contact with contagious animals or people.
Outlook
Life expectancy after heart transplant ranges from 10 to 30 years. For most patients, it takes 3 months to completely recover. During this period patients stay at heart transplant centers. A patient undergoes numeral examinations and tests. Heart transplant coordinator assesses their condition prescribing accurate dosage of immunosuppressants and supporting drugs. Physical activities can be engaged no sooner than 4 months post-operation. Physicians will compose an individual diet plan for a patient. Alcohol and cigarettes are forbidden for consummation.
Risks
The operation bears risks of increased cardiovascular infections and diseases. Regular check-ups are required to detect and treat this conditions in time. It also known that after the transplantation patients have higher chance of receiving skin cancer. To prevent that, patients should use sunblock and/or limit their exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
How to receive heart transplant abroad?
To receive treatment abroad submit a request on Bookimed site and our Medical Coordinator will contact you to provide consultation on the matter. You will receive assistance in choosing an appropriate clinic, as well as scheduling your hospital stay. Bookimed will also help you process all medical documentation and coordinate your trip abroad.
If a patient’s condition is critical, heart transplant programs include specialized airline transfer. A patient will be accompanied by a team of doctors.
The answer to the question how much does a heart transplant cost can only be given by a transplantologist after studying provided medical papers.
Heart transplant in India
Below are listed specialized heart transplant hospitals in India. Undergoing heart transplant surgery in India has many advantages: medical personnel performs 5 thousand operations every year, having built up major experience. Heart transplant cost in India is at least 2 times lower than in Israel or Germany. Heart transplant surgery cost in India is less influenced by prices on drugs because most used agents are produced within the country as analogs to medicine manufactured by the USA but at much lesser expenses.
17 Recent Heart transplant Reviews: Check Real Patient Experience
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