2,000 transplants and counting: UCLA's heart <br>transplant programme reaches major milestone

Source：University of California, Los An Release Date：2012-06-29 346

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Founded in 1984, UCLA's heart transplant program has been a world leader in the field and was recognsied in 2010 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources as the nation's best heart transplant programme

LOS ANGELES — The UCLA Heart Transplant Program performed its 2,000th heart transplant surgery earlier this month, becoming the first program in the western United States and only the second in the world to achieve this remarkable milestone.

Bill Meadows, 59, of Riverside, California, who suffered from advanced dilated cardiomyopathy with secondary pulmonary hypertension, received the donated organ on June 4 in a four-hour surgery at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Centre led by Dr Reshma Biniwale, an assistant professor of cardiothoracic surgery.

"It is extraordinary that 2,000 donor hearts have been transplanted at UCLA, giving new life and new hope to paediatric and adult patients ranging in age from two weeks to 77 years," said Dr Abbas Ardehali, professor of cardiothoracic surgery and director of the heart and lung transplant program at UCLA. "Not only is this historic occasion a time for celebration, it is also an opportunity to thank those thousands of organ donors and their loved ones who gave the precious gift of life."

Founded in 1984, UCLA's heart transplant program has been a world leader in the field and was recognised in 2010 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources as the nation's best heart transplant programme.

Learn more about all of UCLA's transplant programs

Today, the program prides itself on superior outcomes, low mortality on the wait-list, and the use of innovative and cutting-edge approaches in the fields of heart failure and transplantation. Patients come to UCLA for heart transplants from all parts of California and neighbouring states, including Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and even Hawaii.

UCLA's team has pioneered research leading to novel anti-rejection medications and strategies, including the use of lipid-lowering statins, which have resulted in better rejection outcomes for all heart transplant recipients. The program continues to reduce post-transplant complications, and its incidence of donor heart rejection is the lowest in the country, with only 5% of patients experiencing biopsy-proven rejection.

"We are incredibly pleased to offer our heart transplant patients a conceCompra Zapatillas de running para hombre