100th successful heart transplant completed

Banner – University Medicine Advanced Heart Failure Clinic recently completed its 100th successful heart transplant since the program started three years ago.

It is the only hospital in the state with a comprehensive heart failure center. The first transplant was completed in February 2020. The program has continued to grow, outperforming the national average.

“When we have a patient who is deteriorating and there is no heart available,” Dr. Francisco Arabia said, Physician Executive at Advanced Heart Program. “We have to bridge them until the proper heart becomes available.”

While there are other devices that can be used, the artificial hearts are used when the entire original heart is failing.

Colin Judd, a heart transplant patient, did not even know he had a heart issue until the symptoms got worse.

“I started exhibiting them in May of last year,” Judd said. “I literally got to the point where I could not walk 10 feet without having to sit down and take a break.”

Judd was working as a light rail operator, and it became very difficult to do his job. He was out of breath constantly while working.

After getting checked into the hospital in August, doctors discovered his heart was operating at only 15%. He then waited only a month for the donor heart to become available.

“He was very fortunate that he only had to wait a month,” Dr. Arabia said. “Some patients have to wait a year or so.”

Since our interview, the Advanced Heart Failure Clinic has had 109 successful heart transplants, continuing the growth of the program.