Department of Cardiac Surgery

Vanderbilt Transplant Center sets world record for heart transplants in 2024

Vanderbilt transplanted 36% more hearts in 2024 than 2023. In 2024, 10 of the lifesaving procedures were performed on pediatric patients.

Vanderbilt’s 2,000th heart transplant patient, Wes Carter, with his family: wife, Ashley, daughter, Presley (4) and son, Gentry (7).

Heart transplant program reaches new landmark

The recipient of the 2,000th transplant was Wes Carter, 37, a real estate agent from Pensacola, Florida, who first noticed an irregular heart rhythm in his mid-20s.

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VUMC part of team developing advanced life-support tech for battlefield injured

Battlefield medics often have limited resources, time and expertise to provide life-sustaining, emergency care for those critically injured.

Vanderbilt’s Ashish Shah, MD (in white coat); with Ukrainian physicians, from left, Roman Buriak, MD, PhD; Vadym Mykolaienko, MD; Maksym Konodiuk, MD; Oleg Zhurba, MD, PhD; Yevhen Yarmilko, MD; and Vadym Golub, MD. (photo by Erin O. Smith)

Ukrainian team visits VUMC to hone transplant surgery skills

With the help of Vanderbilt and other transplant centers, Ukraine has developed a growing transplant program in the country in the last four years.

Heart patient Lisa Kimbrell, right, with her sister, Rebecca Bickerton.

Teams help patient survive multiple traumatic injuries

In August 2022 Lisa Kimbrell was involved in a near-fatal wreck. A year later two dogs attacked her and sent her back to the hospital.

Transplant patient Bill Jackson. (photo by Matt Batcheldor)

Transplant patient’s indomitable spirit proves inspirational

Bill Jackson received a heart and double lung transplant, an unusual procedure performed only a handful of times each year at VUMC and one that can occur at only the most specialized transplant centers.

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