Heart Transplant - Florida Hospital Transplant Institute

In 2008, Florida Hospital was awarded a Certificate of Need by the State of Florida to establish a heart transplantation program to serve the Central Florida community. Florida Hospital has more than 35 years of experience in bone marrow and organ transplantation with excellent clinical outcomes. Heart (and lung) transplantation is a natural outgrowth of that experience.

The Florida Hospital Cardiovascular Institute works closely with the Florida Hospital Transplant Institute to provide heart transplantation services.

To learn more about the Florida Hospital Transplant Institute and their team, click here.

When a heart transplant is performed, it does not guarantee success. The heart can still fail, largely because the body’s immune system is designed to defend against foreign bodies, which can include a transplanted heart. The median survival rate for heart transplant is 15 years and the 5 year survival rate is 69%.

If the heart fails and no other alternatives remain, either through surgical or medicinal means, a heart transplant may be recommended by your physician.

After being placed on the recipient list, you will be contacted immediately by the Florida Hospital Cardiovascular Institute if a match has been found and is available for transplant.

Time is of the essence, so you will be required to return to the institute immediately. There, the physicians of the Florida Hospital Cardiovascular Institute and the Florida Hospital Transplant Institute will work together to remove the faulty heart and replace it with the donor organ. To learn more about the Transplant Institute and their team, click here.

Medical Management
Following the transplant, you will need to take medications known as immunosuppressants. These medications are tailored to your specific needs and are designed to keep your immune system from rejecting the new heart. Immunosuppressants may include cyclosporine, tacrolimus, MMF (mycophenolate mofetil), and steroids such as prednisone. The medications will be adjusted periodically to offset any side effects or to maximize their effectiveness.