Heart Transplant Surgery: Cause, Procedure and Risks

A Heart Transplant Surgery is performed when a malfunctioning heart is replaced with a healthier donor heart. People who need a heart transplant are typically those whose condition hasn't progressed adequately with medication or other procedures. Although a heart transplant is a major surgery, patient survival is excellent if ongoing medication and follow-up can be assured.  

Everyone is a little apprehensive about surgery whenever it is mentioned, especially when it involves the heart. The top heart surgeon in Delhi, Dr. Sujay Shad, has extensive knowledge about heart surgery, equipment, and procedures concerned with heart transplant. 

Why is it done?

When other methods of treating cardiac issues have failed and heart failure has a high risk, heart transplants are done. Congenital heart defects or cardiomyopathy are the two main causes of heart failure in children. In adults it is done because:

• Cardiomorphy or deterioration of the heart's muscle

• Cardiovascular disease

• Congenital heart defect or heart valve dysfunction, an inherited heart condition

• Ventricular arrhythmias that are dangerously recurrent and are not under control with conventional therapies

• Heart transplant surgery that was done earlier but has failed now.

Ideal Candidate for Heart Transplant:

 

• Is too old to heal from transplant surgery because of their senior age.

• Have a major kidney, liver, or lung illness or other medical issue that could reduce the life even if you receive a donor heart.

• Have an existing infection

• Have recently been diagnosed with cancer personally

• Is unable or unwilling to make the lifestyle modifications required to maintain the health of the donor heart, such as quitting smoking, abstaining from drugs of abuse, and consuming less alcohol.

Risks Involved:

• Donor Heart Rejection: The body refusing the donor heart is one of the most concerning dangers following a heart transplant. The immune system can attempt to refuse the donor heart if it perceives it as a foreign object, which could harm the organ. Immunosuppressants are administered to every heart transplant patient to minimize organ rejection. Rejection frequently happens without warning. 

• Primary graft failure: The donor heart is not functional in this condition, which is the most common reason for death in the initial months following transplant.

• Atrial problems: It's possible that following the transplant, the artery walls in one's heart could thicken and stiffen, developing cardiac allograft vasculopathy. As a result, the heart may have trouble pumping blood through it, which may result in a heart attack, arrhythmias,  heart failure or sudden death.

• Side effects of medicines: One needs to take immunosuppressants for the rest of their life, and they can significantly damage kidneys, among other things.

• Cancer: Risk can also be increased by immunosuppressants. These drugs can increase the risk of developing several cancers, including non-lymphoma.

• Infection: In the initial year following a heart transplant, a lot of recipients experience infections that necessitate hospital admission.

Availability of Donor Heart:

One will be added to a waiting list by the transplant facility if the medical staff determines that one is an ideal candidate for a heart transplant. The chances of locating a donor depends on one's size, blood type, and degree of illness. The doctors may advise having a ventricular assist device (VAD) placed to maintain one's heart while they wait for a donor organ if medical treatment is unable to support the sensitive organs. 

Procedure:

• Open-heart surgery for heart transplants lasts for several hours. If one had past cardiac operations, the procedure will be more difficult and take longer. General anesthetic is given before the surgery. To maintain oxygen-rich blood moving throughout the body, the surgeons will attach patients to a heart-lung bypass machine.

• The chest will be cut open by the surgeon. To perform a cardiac operation, the surgeon will split your chest bone and crack apart your rib cage.

• The damaged heart is subsequently removed by your surgeon, who then stitches the donor heart into position. The important blood vessels are then reconnected to the donated heart by the surgeon. 

After the Surgery:

• After the procedure, patients will be given medicine to assist in managing the pain. Additionally, one will have tubes in the chest to drain fluid from the area around the heart and lungs as well as a ventilator to assist with breathing. 

• During the first three months, a lot of people remain near the transplant center because of the frequency and severity of the monitoring. Once treatment is complete, follow-up appointments become less regular, and travel is simpler. Throughout the first year following the transplant, patients will undergo many cardiac biopsies to assess whether the body is refusing the new heart. 

• Additionally, one's health will be checked for any indications of refusal, such as shortness of breath, weight gain, exhaustion, fever and decreased urination.

Result:

The majority of heart transplant recipients have a decent quality of life. One  might be able to resume a lot of their regular activities, including employment, interests and sports, and exercise, depending on overall health. 

If one is feeling any discomfort that can lead to heart problems or heart failure, one must book an appointment at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital to know more about heart transplant surgery in Delhi, and to get examined and treated by Dr. Sujay Shad. Over the years, countless local patients have placed great trust in the doctor. Consult now for more information!

 

How Can One Survive a Heart Attack When Alone?

As if the thought of having a heart attack is alarming, imagine what would happen if one was all alone. Thankfully, it is possible to survive a solo heart attack. The odds increase if one immediately recognizes the symptoms and takes prompt measures. The first few hours after a heart attack is critical. Learn about heart attack warning signs and what to do if symptoms strike when one is alone.

To provide one with helpful information, here are important steps one must take to prevent a possible heart attack from progressing into something worse, explained by Dr. Sujay Shad, Best Cardiac Surgeon in Delhi, India. Read on for more helpful insights.  

Tips to Survive a Heart Attack 

1. Call 911/ or local helpline number

The most important thing to do when one could be having a heart attack is to dial 911. Before attempting to contact anyone else, always dial 911. Calling 911 will always be the fastest way to get treatment. Even if one lives in a location where an ambulance may have difficulty getting to, the emergency dispatcher can provide instructions on minimizing the damage.

2. Chew Aspirin

One can chew and swallow a single 325 mg or two tablets of baby aspirin 81 mg. If one chews aspirin within 30 minutes of experiencing the first symptoms, it will work exceptionally well. Aspirin controls platelet formation. The development of blood clots that could further block the arteries after a heart attack can be delayed by taking aspirin. Aspirin should be chewed before being digested. One should NOT use this treatment if they are on a medication that interacts poorly with aspirin or have been told by the doctor not to take aspirin or if one is allergic to it. If one is allergic to aspirin, one can consult Dr. Sujay Shad, the Best Cardiac Surgeon in Delhi, to know other alternatives. 

3. Take a Deep Breathe of Fresh Air

Breathing slowly and deeply is the best method to ensure that the blood and heart constantly receive enough oxygen. Additionally, taking slow, deep breaths has a relaxing impact that moderates the heart rate and helps one to act rationally. Try lying in front of an open door, window, fan, or air conditioner if one is indoors. Continually breathing fresh air can also help the heart get the oxygen it needs.

4. Avoid Attempting Cough CPR

The idea that one may survive a heart attack on their own by coughing in a certain way is a popular myth. Likely, this won't work; to make matters worse, using this technique can put one in more danger. If one tries this on their own, one can accidentality work against the heart's rhythm, which would make it more difficult to get oxygen into the blood.

5. Lie Down Calmly

One can lie on their back and raise their legs upward. This helps to open the diaphragm, making it easier for one to breathe and supply oxygen to the blood. To make the position easier to maintain, one can use a pillow or other object to support the legs. One can also lie down with their legs on a couch or a chair. 

6. One Should Not Apply Pressure on their Chest

Similar to coughing repeatedly will not help during a heart attack, applying pressure on the chest area during a heart attack is unlikely to help too, unless the individual’s heart has stopped beating, i.e., cardiac arrest. Therefore, one should avoid doing that.

What are the Symptoms of a Heart Attack? 

To know if one is suffering from a heart attack, one needs to be able to identify its symptoms. Some of the symptoms of a heart attack are:  

• Severe chest pain (heaviness or pressing) at the left part of the chest, lasting for around 20 minutes, 

• Excessive sweating 

• Pain that passes to the left upper arm, neck, or jaw.

However, elderly females with diabetes may develop non-classical heart attack symptoms such as mild chest pain, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, and pain in the upper central portion of the abdomen. 

Read: Difference Between a Cardiologist and a Cardiac Surgeon

Conclusion 

One should get immediate treatment for the heart attack within the first hour of initial symptoms. If one waits for longer, the heart will have more trouble repairing the damage in the heart's muscles. It is also essential for one to talk to a doctor about reducing the risks of experiencing other heart diseases through diet, exercise/cardiac rehab, sleep, and other lifestyle changes. To learn more about the preventive measures one must take for such an instance, one can consult Dr. Sujay Shad, the Best Heart Doctor in Delhi. He is a Professor and Senior Consultant of Cardiac Surgery and Director of Cardiac Transplants at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

He has also performed various heart surgeries for his patients. He has expertise in surgeries such as coronary bypass surgery, heart valve surgery, aortic surgery, Septal Myectomy for HOCM, and many more. To learn more tips on having a safe and healthy heart, one can schedule an appointment with Dr. Sujay Shad at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, one of the renowned heart hospitals in Delhi. Book an appointment now to know more.

Dr. Sujay Shad Blogs

 

Dr. Sujay Shad is one of the best heart surgery doctor in Delhi, India, who has performed a large number of heart operations. Dr. Sujay Shad is a Professor and Senior Consultant in Heart Surgery, as well as the Director of Heart Transplants at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, India. He is also the department’s Co-Chairman. He performs life-saving procedures on some of his field’s most dangerous patients. He is also the first cardiac surgeon in North India to do successful heart transplants at a private hospital.

Here are Latest Blogs of Dr. Sujay Shad:-

Mitral Valve Prolapse: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

HOCM and Septal Myectomy Surgery For Heart

Heart Valve Surgery In Delhi

Coronary Bypass Heart Surgery

LVAD Heart Failure Surgery

All About Heart Transplant Surgery

Difference Between a Cardiologist and a Cardiac Surgeon

Mitral Valve Repair Surgery: Procedure & Techniques

Heart Surgery Cost in Delhi

 

Suffering from any heart ailment or condition? Consult the best heart surgeon in India Dr. Sujay Shad. Heart surgery or cardiac surgery refers to the open-heart procedure to fix the heart issues or treat heart ailments when other less invasive procedures fail to work or can’t be done. It is a major surgery that may take several hours to complete. For most adults, the common heart surgery is coronary artery bypass grafting. During heart surgery, mostly the patients are placed onto a heart-lung bypass machine to keep oxygen-rich blood flowing throughout their bodies and are put under general anesthesia. While the patient remains asleep, the surgeon makes an incision in the chest, move aside the chest bones and open the rib cage to gain access to the heart. To know more about life-saving Heart Surgery Cost in Delhi, consult the best heart surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, located at Rajinder Nagar, Delhi.

Are You Looking for the best Heart Surgery Doctor in India

 

Lifestyle changes and medications can treat heart failure, but some people need open-heart operations and surgeries to treat underlying causes. Heart Failure Surgery in Delhi performed by Dr. Sujay Shad focuses either on the coronary arteries or the heart valves to improve blood flow or heart functioning. It can allow normal heart pumping so that the proper amount of oxygen-rich blood reaches the heart muscles for its working. The surgeries include valve replacement surgery, coronary artery bypass graft surgery (also called angioplasty to prevent or treat blocked coronary arteries), LVAD, ECMO, and heart transplant surgery. Post-operation, the person has a longer survival rate and improved quality of life. The shortness of breath, chest pain, and fatigue are no longer felt after heart surgery. Thus, the heart patients can resume their daily physical activities and exercises without any discomfort. Meet Dr. Sujay Shad, best Heart Surgery Doctor in India, to know more about heart failure treatment at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Best Hospital for Heart Surgery.

Difference Between a Cardiologist and a Cardiac Surgeon

 Cardiovascular disease is one of the top causes of death around the globe. Most people tend to get confused between cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, but it is important to know that both of them play different yet equally significant roles in the care of a patient who suffers from heart disease. Both the professionals begin their journeys by attending higher education programs that teach the base of medicine, but that is where the similarities between the two end. After their education, both professions' training is different, and the duties and specialties also vary. It is important to reach out to the best heart doctors in Delhi NCR in case of any heart-related issue.

Before understanding the difference between a cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon, let’ understand what cardiovascular diseases are?

The circulatory system is known to supply blood to all body parts. And it consists of the heart, veins, arteries, and capillaries. These diseases might occur at the same time and are capable of leading to other disorders. Some of the cardiovascular diseases include:

1. Arrhythmia: It causes problems with the rhythm or the rate of the heartbeat.

2. High blood pressure: In this condition, the force of the blood against the artery is too high

3. Cardiac arrest: It is a sudden loss of heart function, breathing, and consciousness. 

4. Heart failure: It is a condition where the heart does not pump blood as it should.

5. Cerebrovascular disease: A disease caused by the blood vessels supplying to the brain. 

6. Coronary heart disease: It is a disease of the blood vessels supplying to the heart muscle. 

7. Rheumatic heart disease: It damages heart muscle and heart valves caused by streptococcal bacteria. 

8. Congenital heart disease: This is caused due to congenital disabilities such as malformations of the heart structure that affect the normal functioning of the heart.

9. Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism: This disease includes blood clots in the leg veins, later moving to the heart and lungs.

10. Diabetes can also lead to CVD. With high blood sugar levels, blood vessels can be damaged, making them narrow. People suffering from Type 2 diabetes are overweight, which can also be a factor that can cause CVD. 

CVD often results from high blood pressure, and often there are no symptoms. But it is vital, and patients must undergo regular tests to check blood pressure. And India's capital Delhi is known to have some of the best doctors who treat patients with cardiovascular disease. To get treated, it is good to find an expert cardiologist in Delhi or a cardiac surgeon in Delhi. 

Differentiating between a Cardiologist and a Cardiac Surgeon
I. Cardiologists

• They are specialists who treat heart conditions that range from hypertension and high cholesterol to issues related to heartbeat rhythm. They also perform procedures that assist in both, diagnosis and treatment of several heart problems. Cardiologists perform echocardiograms to identify heart holes or heart valve issues, conduct stress tests to detect cardiovascular disease, and monitor the heart to detect other problems. 

• Cardiologists perform procedures in clogged arteries and perform rhythm treatment procedures such as atrial fibrillation ablation procedures to treat more severe heart rhythm problems.

• Cardiologists diagnose and treat heart problems without surgery. Cardiologists ask the patients to consult with cardiac surgeons if required. They work together with cardiac surgeons to treat problems with irregular heartbeats. The cardiologist will examine the patient fully before deciding on surgery. Cardiologists generally monitor the patients and see to it that they are resting at home after the surgery. 

• To summarize, cardiologists focus on the heart and blood vessels. They perform diagnostic tests and prescribe courses of non-surgical treatment. They tell the patients to meet cardiac surgeons if required. And they keep in touch with the patients for the long term.
  
  II. Cardiac Surgeons

• Cardiac surgeons enter a surgical residency for at least 5-7 years and learn to operate on the chest and upper abdominal organs. The surgeons typically perform their procedures through incisions that either separate the breastbone or operate between the ribs to operate within the chest.

• The professional association between cardiac surgeons and their patients lasts only for a few months, enough to treat them. The cardiologist asks the patient to consult with a cardiac surgeon if complex surgical procedures are required. For example, coronary artery bypasses congenital heart defects, aneurysms, and in extreme cases, full cardiac transplants or artificial hearts. 

• Cardiac surgeons also treat other parts of the upper thorax. Depending on their specialty, they treat conditions and diseases that affect the lungs, esophagus, and thymus.

• In short cardiac surgeons perform complex surgeries on the heart and lungs and usually have short-term relationships with their patients. 

• Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease

• Nausea and fatigue

• The patient can feel pain or pressure in the chest.

• Shortness of breath

• Discomfort in the arms, legs, shoulders, or jaws.

• Dizziness or light-headedness

• Risk factors for cardiovascular disease

• Blockage in the arteries

• Smoking

• High blood pressure

• Poor sleep cycle

• High blood cholesterol

• Physical inactivity

• Excessive consumption of alcohol

• Obesity

• Stress

• Air pollution

• Lifestyle tips to prevent some of the conditions related to cardiovascular disease:

• Managing body weight is highly recommended in leading a healthy lifestyle. Reducing 5-10% of the body weight lessens the chance of developing CVD.

• People need to exercise regularly. It could be going for morning runs, brisk walking, cardio, and even doing some basic workout at home. It is important to keep our body physically fit by sweating it out every day.

• Another important tip is to maintain and healthy balanced diet. We live in a time and world where our lives revolve around fast food or microwaving food times, mostly because we don't have time. People don't realize the effect these food habits hold on the body. It is necessary for people to fruits, vegetables, and even fish to their diet because it helps reduce risks of CVD. 

• Smoking plays a major role in most cardiovascular cases. Quitting can prove difficult for many people, but it is quite necessary to do so for reduced CVD chances. 

Both cardiologists and cardiac surgeons are equally important as we need both of them to treat our heart and lungs. The treatment area may be the same, but the procedure varies. Cardiologists are experts and specially trained to diagnose heart problems without having to perform surgery. On the other hand, cardiac surgeons take the advice of cardiologists to provide treatment of complicated surgical procedures. Together, they help improve the health of the patient and even save lives.

It is best to reach out to a heart specialist in Delhi who can offer best treatment backed by expertise, training and experience when there are heart-related issues. To find the cost of heart surgery in Delhi, you can research online and visit the websites of some of the most reputed heart clinics and hospitals in Delhi. Dr. Sujay Shad is a renowned name in the field of heart surgeries. His vast experience and expertise make him one of the best heart specialist doctors in Delhi. 

Mitral Valve Prolapse: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Mitral valve prolapse is a disease wherein the leaflets or flaps of the mitral valve of the heart bulge (prolapse) like a parachute into the left atrium of the heart as it contracts during systole. It is also referred to as Barlow’s syndrome, Click-murmur syndrome, Floppy valve syndrome, Myxomatous mitral valve disease, or Billowing mitral valve syndrome. Sometimes, this prolapse can result in mitral valve regurgitation, a condition in which the blood starts to flow backward into the left atrium instead of the left ventricle. The turbulent blood flow or leaky heart valve results in the murmuring of the heart (a whooshing sound coming from the heart). Get the best care and treatment for mitral valve polapse with experienced heart surgeon in India Dr. Sujay Shad, (MBBS, MS, RCPS, FRCS (Cardiothoracic Surgery)). He is an expert in performing Cardiac Surgeries and Mitral Valve Repair in Delhi and supports his patients to get an improved quality of life.

What causes mitral valve prolapse?

In some cases it is caused due to heredity. It may also be linked to various other medical conditions, including:

• Muscular dystrophy

• Scoliosis

• Grave’s disease

• Marfan syndrome

• Ebstein anomaly

• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

• Rheumatic heart disease, acute myocardial infarction, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that result in valvular structure damage and Secondary mitral valve prolapse.

 

What are the symptoms of Mitral Valve Prolapse?

Most individuals having mitral valve prolapse do not show any symptoms. Such people are advised to have some restrictions or limitations in their lifestyle, personal exercise, or daily diet. But some individuals may experience varied signs and symptoms. The most commonly occurring symptoms include:

Chest pain and discomfort: The pain felt in the chest is debilitating and occurs frequently.

Palpitations: People may have a sensation of rapid heart beating or fluttering of the heart. These are generally linked to the premature contraction of the ventricles but sometimes supraventricular rhythms (abnormal heart rhythm that start above the ventricles) may also be the reason.

Signs of heart failure: This includes fatigue (easy tiredness), weakness, dizziness, anxiety, and shortness of breath. The heart may fail due to the severity of the leakage of the blood into the left atrium during systole (i.e. because of mitral regurgitation). Some people may faint or pass out (called syncope) and also experience tingling or numbing sensations in the hands and feet.

 

How is Mitral Valve Prolapse treated?

Mitral valve prolapse is rarely a serious concern and does not require treatment (especially in people who have no symptoms). Moderate to severe cases of mitral valve prolapse leading to mitral valve regurgitation are recommended treatment either by medications or surgery. The best choice of treatment for the patient is determined by the doctor based on:

• General health and medical history of the patient

• The severity of the disease

• The expectations, preference, and opinion of the patient for the course of treatment

• The tolerance levels for specific procedures, therapies, or medications.

 

Some treatment modalities that work best for Mitral Valve Prolapse include:

Medications: Some prescribed medications include diuretics (to drain excess fluids from lungs), beta-blockers (to prevent irregular heartbeats by improving blood flow), anticoagulants and blood thinners (to minimize the risk of blood clotting), and heart rhythm medications (to normalize the heart’s electrical activity that contribute to arrhythmia).   

Surgery: Even if the symptoms of mitral valve prolapse appear or not in the patients but there is severe mitral valve regurgitation, surgery is recommended. In mitral valve prolapse surgery, the mitral valve is either replaced or repaired by performing open-heart surgery or by a minimally invasive procedure. 

During the surgery, Dr. Sujay Shad, cardiac surgeon in Delhi modifies the mitral valve of the patient by removing the extra valve tissues or by attaching a flappy valve tissue to stop the backward blood flow into the left atrium. A ring may also be reinforced around the valve of the heart to prevent mitral valve regurgitation. In case repair is not possible, an artificial mitral valve made up of human tissue or heart tissues of cows and pigs is used as a replacement for the damaged mitral valve. These mechanical valves can last longer for about 10 years or more by maintaining heart health.      

Transcatheter valve therapy: This is a less invasive approach for people who cannot undergo surgical repair or replacement in case of severe mitral valve regurgitation. In this therapy, the doctors make a small incision in the groin area through which an implant is inserted using a catheter shoved into a blood vessel present in the groin and guided to the heart. To know more about this life saving heart surgery consult Dr. Sujay Shad, best heart specialist in Delhi.  

Dr. Sujay Shad, best heart surgeon in India is an expert in performing various lifesaving surgeries like Heart Transplants, Coronary Bypasses, HOCM, Aortic Surgery, and Mitral Valve repairs and replacements. Get in touch for more information.