In an astonishing breakthrough, Australian surgeons have accomplished what was once thought impossible: transplanting a heart that had completely stopped beating.
This game-changing innovation, developed at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, could revolutionize heart transplants and save thousands more lives each year.
Currently, heart transplants rely on brain-dead donors whose hearts are still beating.
This limitation means only a small number of people—those who die in specific conditions—can donate their hearts.
But now, a pioneering method has allowed doctors to revive hearts that had stopped beating for at least 20 minutes.
How It Works: Reviving a Stopped Heart
The key innovation behind this success is a specialized preservation solution and a device called the “heart-in-a-box.”
Dr. Bob Graham, the executive director of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, explained how the technology works:
- After a heart has stopped beating, it is removed from the donor’s body.
- The heart is placed on a special console where it is connected to oxygenated blood.
- Using a groundbreaking preservation fluid, the heart begins beating again.
- The revived heart is kept warm and functional until it is transplanted into a recipient.
This world-first procedure has already been performed on two patients, both of whom are recovering well.
Challenging a Medical Assumption
For decades, doctors believed that once a heart stops beating, it cannot be restarted for transplant.
This assumption severely limited the number of available donor hearts.
But the success of these transplants proves that hearts can be revived, preserved, and successfully implanted into new patients.
Dr. Graham emphasized how this breakthrough could increase the number of heart transplants by 30%, giving hope to thousands of patients with end-stage heart failure.
The Patients Who Made History
The first recipient of this pioneering transplant was Michelle Gribilar, 57, who received her new heart a few months ago.
The second patient, Jan Damen, underwent the procedure just two weeks ago.
Both patients suffered from congenital heart failure, a condition that leaves the heart unable to pump blood efficiently.
A Perfect Storm of Innovation
Dr. Graham described the combination of new technology and preservation fluid as a “perfect storm” that made the impossible possible. He stated:
“Before this, it wasn’t possible. Now, we can transplant hearts that have stopped beating, giving new hope to patients waiting for a donor.”
This historic achievement is the result of a collaboration between the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney.
What This Means for the Future
This innovation does more than just increase the number of available donor hearts—it also opens the door to future advancements in organ preservation and revival.
If this technique can be further developed, it might even be possible to revive hearts that have been inactive for longer periods.
This breakthrough could redefine the standards of heart transplantation worldwide and offer a second chance at life for thousands of patients who previously had no options.
As this technology evolves, one thing is clear: the future of heart transplants has changed forever.
