The Nizhny Novgorod Cardiocenter performed the first donor heart transplant of this year.

      Photo: Ministry of Health of the Nizhny Novgorod Region

      At the Research Institute - Specialized Cardiovascular Surgery Clinical Hospital named after Academician B. A. Korolev, the first donor heart transplant of this year was performed. The organ transplant was the only chance for survival for a 56-year-old man who was in the terminal stage of heart failure. As reported by the Nizhny Novgorod Cardiocenter, the surgery was led by cardiac surgeon Viktor Vaikin. "The patient first came for examination at the Nizhny Novgorod Cardiocenter three years ago. After the examination, he regularly received therapy, but his condition continued to deteriorate. During the next examination in 2024, it became clear that the patient's brain and lungs were no longer receiving the necessary amount of oxygenated blood, and only a heart transplant could save his life and health. The man was immediately placed on the waiting list for a donor organ," the doctor explained. During the waiting period for the operation, the man's condition remained severe: physical activity was sharply limited, and he required constant intensive therapy. When a heart that matched all immunological parameters for the patient became available, the organ donation service immediately notified the surgeons at the Specialized Cardiovascular Surgery Clinical Hospital, and the patient was urgently called for surgery. On the night of June 27 to 28, the team of doctors performed the transplant, and just 10 hours later, the man was able to breathe and talk independently. Another day later, the patient began to sit up and eat on his own. The chief physician of the Research Institute - Specialized Cardiovascular Surgery Clinical Hospital, Anton Maksimov, emphasized that heart transplantation is a complex operation, and selecting a donor organ and maintaining the patient's life until the transplant requires coordinated work from several medical services. "Most often, patients who need a transplant are relatively young people of working age who have suffered from some inflammatory diseases that have caused complications to the heart. Patients suffering from angina and ischemic heart disease for a long time may also require this operation. Of course, doctors try to help such patients through pharmacological treatment and surgeries on specific areas of the myocardium. But in some cases, transplantation remains the only possible option for saving a person's life," Anton Maksimov explained. The head of the medical institution noted that to date, specialists at the Nizhny Novgorod Cardiocenter have already performed four heart transplant operations. "Previously, such patients had to be routed to specialized clinics in Moscow, but now we have all the resources to perform transplants here in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Surgical teams are trained to carry out such interventions, and operations are performed using the most modern equipment. We plan to do everything possible to increase the number of heart transplants performed annually in our clinic," concluded the chief physician of the Research Institute - Specialized Cardiovascular Surgery Clinical Hospital named after Academician B. A. Korolev.

      Let us remind you that increasing the availability of high-tech medical care for residents of the region is one of the areas of work within the framework of the new national project "Sustained and Active Life," which was launched in the country from 2025 by order of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. It is a continuation of the national project "Healthcare" and covers all areas of work in the industry - from modernizing the primary care level to rehabilitation.