• Question: How is heart transplanted

    Asked by 783bmay33 to Peter, Jonathan, Grace, Doris, David, Ann on 5 Jun 2019.
    • Photo: Grace Kago

      Grace Kago answered on 5 Jun 2019:


      1. You are put into a deep sleep with general anesthesia, and a cut is made through the breastbone.
      2. Your blood flows through a heart-lung bypass machine while the surgeon works on your heart. This machine does the work of your heart and lungs while they are stopped, and supplies your body with blood and oxygen.
      3. Your diseased heart is removed and the donor heart is stitched in place.
      4. The heart-lung machine is then disconnected. Blood flows through the transplanted heart, which takes over supplying your body with blood and oxygen.
      5. Tubes are inserted to drain air, fluid, and blood out of the chest for several days, and to allow the lungs to fully re-expand.
      Source: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003003.htm

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