Annual Report-CTI 2020-FOR WEB | Page 32

OVERVIEW
HIGHLIGHTS
ORGANS – HEART

OVERVIEW

HEART

UAB has maintained an active cardiac transplantation program since 1980 , and we have performed nearly 1,100 heart , heart / lung , and heart / kidney transplants since that time . Our diverse team of specialists is equally committed to treating heart failure through optimizing medical management and expanding the role of mechanical circulatory support devices ( MCSDs ), either as a bridge to transplant or as destination therapy . When a transplant is needed , our outcomes are excellent ; UAB ’ s one-year and three-year patient and graft survival are better than the expected rates and U . S . averages .
Our cardiologists and heart surgeons are supported by an experienced team of transplant specialists , including nurses , dietitians , coordinators , mental health professionals , and social workers devoted to exceptional , comprehensive care . Patients have access to educational material and teaching sessions – including classes and supportive face-to-face discussions – during each phase of the transplant process , all of which is geared to easing concerns and promoting more successful outcomes . A unique and innovative feature of our program is the Heart / Lung Transplant Intensive Care Unit ( HLTICU ). This state-of-the-art , 23-bed unit is staffed with a skilled critical care team dedicated to caring for heart transplant patients in the crucial first hours after surgery . The unit earned a Beacon Award for excellence in critical care nursing .

HIGHLIGHTS

• The UAB ventricular assist device ( VAD ) program began in 1989 with the first implantation of a pneumatic extracorporeal device as a bridge to heart transplant . Since 2000 , nearly 700 devices have been implanted 
 at UAB as both destination therapy and as a bridge to transplant for patients with refractory end-stage heart disease . Twoyear survival is approximately 83 %, and in 2019 , the VAD program was re-certified by The Joint Commission . A UAB cardiologist co-chaired the committee that drafted comprehensive international guidelines for patients needing MCSD therapy . In addition , UAB is making increasing use of an implantable pulmonary artery sensor known as the CardioMEMS HF system . It collects data on pressure and other key metrics , which help our cardiologists and surgeons optimize care for each individual patient .
• UAB has a long history of clinical research focused on survival , functional status , and quality of life , which fosters a continual assessment of the evolving technology and optimal patient outcomes . With the inception of the total artificial heart ( Syncardia TAH ) program in 2016 , UAB provides the full cadre of durable technologies to support the failing heart ( HeartWare and Heartmate 3 LVADs ), as well as shortterm ( non-durable ) percutaneous devices ( Impella and TandemHeart ) as bridges to myocardial recovery .
• Transplantation therapy for end-stage organ disease is limited by the shortage of donor organs , so transplanting hearts , kidneys , livers , and other organs into humans from large animals such as pigs could save thousands of lives per year . Cardiac xenotransplantation ( CXTx ) is a promising , near-term approach to the treatment of end- stage heart failure that may provide a solution to the ongoing shortage of donor hearts .
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