Cool Heart Transplant Procedures

Heterotopic Transplant:

In this type of transplant, the recipients own heart is not removed from the body. The donor's heart is surgically implanted so that the chambers and vessels of both hearts can work together as a double heart. It is mainly used in patients whose hearts are not strong enough to function by themselves and the new heart gives them the chance to recover without dying. Usually the donor's heart is removed when the damaged heart is repaired. 

Living Organ Transplant:

Usually when a heart is being extracted for transplantation, it is injected with potassium chloride, and cooled down making it viable for 4 to 6 hours after extraction. In this type of transplant the heart is kept at normal temperature and connected to a Organ Care System machine that keeps it beating and pumping warm and oxygenated blood. This procedure allows the heart to be kept much more longer and in better conditions to implant. It was done successfully for the first time in the Bad Oeynhausen Clinic for Thorax and Cardiovascular Surgery in Germany, 2006.  


References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_transplantation