The first artificial heart transplantation in Iran was performed in Masih Daneshvari Hospital
The first artificial heart transplantationof Iranwas performed by a professional team of surgeons and specialists in Masih Daneshvari Hospital. A 57-year-old patient suffering from severe heart failure underwent this operation.
According to the reporter of the team, the L-VAD surgery was performed successfully.The surgery was led by Dr. Zargham Hossein Ahmadi and Dr. Babak Sharif Kashani in collaboration with Dr.Khaghani, an Iranian physician living in the US, and close cooperation with other medical teams of the hospital. The patient was told to be on the waiting list for transplantation, but now he is in a suitable condition after the surgery.
Having referred to heart failure as a chronic disease, complications of which result in lower quality of individual and social life and even death, the reporter of the team explained that patients with end stage and severe heart failure are often on the waiting list of heart transplant surgery. Recently, in most of the countries around the world L-VAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) has been very common in treatment of such patients. The left ventricular assist device, or LVAD, is a small mechanical pump that is implanted inside a person's chest to help a weakened heart ventricle pump blood throughout the body leading to better supply of blood in body organs, less signs of the disease, longer life time and higher quality of life.
The reporter of the team added that this device is used for patients on the heart transplant waiting list as well as the ones which are not suitable transplant candidates (patients above 60 years of age or patients suffering from other diseases besides heart failure), but unfortunately most of them cannot afford the heavy cost of L-VAD.
He also mentioned that after several consultations having been held between cardiologists and surgeons of this center and manufacturing companies of such devices and equipment as well as the effort of Iranian physicians residing in the US, it has now become possible to import this device to Iran to fulfill the need of patients.
He finally hoped that L-VAD and use of modern technologies in Iran will lead to a big change in treatment of heart failure; however, it is necessary to make changes and localize them.
It is notable that the heart failure ward of Masih Daneshvari Hospital was established in 2003 and started its activities with the first heart transplant in SBMU, and 160 heart transplant surgeries have been performed there so far. Therefore, this ward is known as one of the most active heart transplant wards in Iran.