A heart transplant can be a scary experience for adults, but the fear is even more pronounced when the patient is a child. That’s why the heart transplant team at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, in conjunction with the entire IU Health Transplant center, has been committed for nearly three decades to providing comforting, personable care to patients and their families throughout the process -- from waiting for the new organ to recovering from surgery.
All services are coordinated for reliable transitions across the continuum of care. Cardiologists, full time pharmacists, cardiothoracic surgeons, and advanced nurse practitioners all play key roles in patient care.
Your child may qualify for a potential heart transplant if they experience any of the following:
● Weakening of the heart muscle or cardiomyopathy
● Severe abnormalities in the heart structure at birth
● Weakening of the heart muscle due to surgery to repair abnormal heart structure
If your child is believed to be a strong medical candidate, our care team works with your family to make sure they understand the risks and benefits associated with pediatric heart transplant.
A 4-day-old infant is the youngest patient to have received a heart transplant at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. She is now a young adult and in good health. While this is an exceptional case, our transplant team aims to uphold this standard of care for each and every one of our heart transplant patients.
In 2010, we saw a 100 percent pediatric graft survival rate and look to continue this in the future. Learn about our heart transplant outcomes from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.
April 25th, 2013 | It’s one of the leading medical issues of our time: human donor organs are in extremely short supply, while nearly 20 Americans die daily waiting for a life-saving transplant. So, why aren’t more people giving the gift of life through organ donation? In many cases, family members aren’t even aware of the potential donor’s decision,… Continue Reading
February 14th, 2013 | What better way to show our love on Valentine’s Day than to share the gift of life! Did you know: Over 100,000 people are waiting for an organ? 18 people will die each day waiting for an organ? 1 organ donor can save up to 8 lives? Organ transplant is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage organ disease. The fact is that almost anyone… Continue Reading
January 30th, 2013 | If you or a loved one has been waiting for a kidney, liver, lung or other organ transplant, finally getting the life-saving surgery is unquestionably wonderful. But what happens after a transplant surgery? In the Hospital Immediately following a transplant operation, patients are taken to the intensive care unit where the IU Health physicians, nurses… Continue Reading
