AKH Vienna: Success with new Technology for Heart Transplantation

At the General Hospital (AKH) Vienna, a new method for heart transplantation had its successful premiere. The Medical University Vienna along with the AKH is one of six European medical centers participating in a clinical study to perform this new method. In early February, for the first time in Austria, a beating heart was transplanted. “The operation was a great success,” confirmed both the medical team and the patient at a press conference at the AKH Vienna.

Thirty year old Christine Amenitsch is the first Austrian to receive a donor’s heart in a warm and beating condition. “The transplantation succeeded to our fullest satisfaction,” said Prof. Dr. Andreas Zuckermann, who carried out the operation earlier this year on February 6th, together with his team of ten experts. “The patient is recovering extremely fast, due to the new technology we could use for the first time.”

With the new “Organ Care System” developed in the USA by TransMedics Inc. the donor’s heart can be transported to the recipient in a warm and beating condition. This maintains the healthy condition of the heart while outside of the human body and between extraction and implantation and thus offers the chance to significantly increase the amount and the success of heart transplantations. Until today, twenty-six transplantations have been carried out worldwide using “Organ Care System”; with this technology, medical experts expect a significant increase of opportunities and quality for transplantation patients.

“We are especially proud that this new technology for the first time, and exclusively in Austria, is being used at our hospital. This once more proves our position as one of the leading European hospitals”, says Prof. Dr. Ernst Wolner, head of the compartment of heart and thorax surgery of the Medical University Vienna at the AKH.

The patient, who without hesitation, agreed to the clinical study, became the first to use OCS in Austria and appears to be in good condition. “Already on the first day after the operation I could sit up in the bed. Five days after the operation I started to work out on the ergometer. I am happy to be able to participate in the success of this astounding new technology with my operation”, says thirty year old Christine Amenitsch, who only had to spend one night in the intensive care unit and one night in the intermediate care unit.

Breakthrough in transplantation medicine: healthier organs, shorter waiting periods

Thanks to the new technology developed by the US-medical technology company TransMedics Inc., the extracted organ is being kept in living condition. Immediately after extraction, the heart is transferred to the “Organ Care System” where it is pumped through with, oxygen- and nutrient-containing blood, so that it remains warm and functioning in transit, outside the human body. This method allows for the ability to store and transport the organ for longer periods oftime outside the body compared to the traditional method. At the same time it reduces the susceptibility for defects during the transport to the recipient.

OCS also allows continuous monitoring of the heart. The medical team is able to do visual, functional and metabolic examination during transport and thus remains continually informed about the physiological condition of the heart at each moment. Through this, the risk of rejection by the recipient’s organism can be reduced. At the same time the potential amount of organs useable for transplantation increases.

With conventional transplantation methods the donor’s heart is being transported in a cold liquid – comparable to a cooler for drinks. During this transport the heart doesn’t receive any oxygen, and the cells are not being nourished. Especially with transports of more than four hours severe damage to the organ can occur. Sometimes the risk for transplantation can grow to be too high.

“At the moment we have to reject around 75% of the donor’s hearts offered to us. With the new technology we expect that the amount of useable donor’s hearts will rise,” explained Prof. Andreas Zuckermann. “OCS thus allows for an immense breakthrough in transplantation medicine. The donor’s heart remains healthy for a longer period. Thus the transplantation teams gain valuable time to evaluate the ideal donor-receiver-situation, even being able to allow for larger geographical distances than nowadays. It also means that in the future more patients can be supplied with suitable organs.”

Cost reduction for health system possible

“We are pleased for the success of both Christine Amenitsch and the AKH team in this first Austrian Beating Heart Transplant", said David Kolstad, Vice President of TransMedics. “From the very beginning, the Organ Care System was designed to deliver the healthiest possible organs, increasing the number of organs available for transplantation and reducing the risk of postoperative complications. In addition to these important clinical benefits we also expect the technolgy to significantly reduce the costs for the health system: Important cost savings may be realized by reducing cost-intensive bridging time – while patients are waiting for a donor’s heart and allowing faster recoveries such as the one of Christine Amenitsch to reduce time in the intensive care unit."

In the future, it is expected that the Organ Care System will be used not only for hearts, but also for other organs such as lung, liver and kidney.