A heart transplant is when a person’s malfunctioning heart is replaced with a healthy one from an organ donor.
What happens if I need a heart transplant?
If you need heart transplant surgery, your transplant will be done at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, which is overseen by Providence Health Care. This hospital is the site of B.C.’s only heart transplant program.
A heart transplant is when a person’s malfunctioning or diseased heart is replaced with a healthy one from an organ donor (someone who has died and whose organs have been donated). Organ transplants are only possible because of the gift of an organ from a donor and their family.
People who need a heart transplant are those who have heart failure that is getting worse and no longer treatable in any other way. Patients in the Fraser Health region will be evaluated locally and if their doctor or cardiologist determines that they need heart transplant surgery, they will be referred to St. Paul’s Hospital.
Visit Providence Heart Centre's Heart Failure and Transplant website to learn more.
Resources
The following resources have more information on heart transplant surgery: