heart transplant Archives
Pediatric Heart Transplant Program medical director Debra Dodd retiring
Jul. 7, 2023—After nearly 40 years and being involved in more than 300 lifesaving transplantations at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Debra Dodd, MD, is retiring.
Ukrainian surgeons visit VUMC to observe transplant protocols
Dec. 8, 2022—A group of doctors from Ukraine recently visited Vanderbilt to observe transplants and protocols as part of an initiative to establish a lung transplant program and improve heart transplantation in the war-torn country.
Patient’s care journey included LVAD, bariatric surgery, transplant
Sep. 15, 2022—When Veronica Llamas-Barajas received a heart transplant at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in April, it was the culmination of a seven-year journey.
Heart/liver transplant gives congenital heart disease patient new hope
Feb. 24, 2022—Last year, Liz Barnett became one of seven people at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to receive a combined heart/liver transplant in 2021.
Vanderbilt Transplant Center reached new record in 2021
Jan. 20, 2022—The Vanderbilt Transplant Center established a new record in calendar year 2021 for total solid organ transplants, performing 645 life-saving procedures among its adult and pediatric organ transplant programs.
Down syndrome patient celebrates anniversary of novel transplant
Dec. 15, 2021—Vanderbilt patient Joe Eitl was among the first patients in the country with Down syndrome to undergo a heart and liver transplant.
Family’s gift celebrates those who make transplants possible
Aug. 26, 2021—All Coleen Leszczynski ever wanted was to be normal. Born with a congenital heart disease (CHD), she labored to breathe, having only three-quarters the oxygen capacity of a healthy person. Still, she fought to live, serving as a cardiac nurse in her native Philadelphia area for more than 16 years. She wanted to help people like her.
VUMC now leads world in heart transplantation
Jan. 12, 2021—Vanderbilt University Medical Center performed more heart transplants in 2020 than any other center in the world — 124 adult hearts, 23 pediatric hearts and VUMC’s first heart-lung transplant since 2006.
COVID patient’s heart-lung transplant is world’s first
Oct. 8, 2020—Vanderbilt University Medical Center has performed the world’s first dual heart-lung transplant of a COVID-19 patient.
Four heart transplants performed in whirlwind 48 hours
Aug. 26, 2020—The Vanderbilt Transplant Center’s cardiac surgeons transplanted four hearts in one 48-hour stretch in August, thanks to VUMC’s perfusion and organ recovery teams traveling more than 4,000 miles across the country to obtain the donor organs.
Congenital heart patient receives unexpected transplant
Aug. 12, 2020—For years, doctors told Piper Davis it was impossible to have a heart transplant. She was born with just one ventricle, or pumping chamber, instead of two. A generation ago, such patients didn’t survive into adulthood.
Vanderbilt Transplant Center sets monthly record
Jun. 8, 2020—The Vanderbilt Transplant Center performed 73 transplants in May, setting a Medical Center record for the most transplants in a month. Sixteen of those were heart transplants — also a monthly record — cementing VUMC’s status as the busiest heart transplant center in the country.
