At UVA, we’ve performed more than 300 heart transplants since 1989.
The evaluation process determines if you are a candidate for a heart transplant. At UVA, we walk you through each step of evaluation and treatment with a team experienced in providing support to transplant patients and recipients.
Find out about the process of a heart transplant at UVA.
While You Wait for a New Heart
We offer expertise and critical research in a wide variety of supportive therapies, including medications and devices, to support you while you wait for new heart.
Learn about the transplant coordinators, financial help, and other features and benefits of the UVA Transplant Center.
Find Needed Support
Our monthly Heart and Lung Transplant Support Group the fourth Thursday of every month, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Meetings are open to patients, family members and friends.
The transplant team removes the donor heart from the donor. Because of the difficulty of preserving the heart muscle, hearts must be transplanted within four hours of removal.
The surgical team then removes the recipient's heart and attaches the new heart to the major blood vessels and to the right atrium and left atrium of the recipient's native heart.
Your Hospital Stay
The average hospital stay for a heart transplant patient is 10 to 20 days.
During the hospital stay, we'll carefully monitor you, train you on self-care and help you get started with the medications you'll need to protect your heart from rejection.
Learn what to expect after a heart transplant.
Destination VADs
UVA is a Center for Destination VADs (ventricular assist devices). Unlike other centers that can only use VADs while patients wait for a transplant, we can put one in for non-transplant patients. VADs can extend your life if your age or other health conditions prevent you from having a heart transplant.