Strong Heart and Vascular Center

Transplant

The Transplanted Heart

The donor heart is removed by cutting the aorta and pulmonary artery. The recipient's heart is not removed until the donor heart arrives in the operating room. The donor heart is then sutured to the recipient's aorta, pulmonary artery, and on the venous side: either SVC and IVC or atria to atria; as well as the left atrium to left atrium.

The donor heart comes with its own electrical system and coronary artery supply. However, when the heart is removed from the body, the nervous system is disconnected and cannot be re-attached. The heart continues to beat adequately, but without an external nervous supply; this condition is referred to as a denervated heart.

Denervation causes some differences from a normal heart. The denervated heart beats faster at rest, but its rate does not rise as quickly with exercise. In addition, patients usually do not experience cardiac chest pain (angina). While patients may experience chest pain, it generally comes from the lungs or chest wall, rather than the heart muscle itself.