Heart Transplant

Treatment in Arizona

The heart transplant program at Mayo Clinic in Arizona expands the availability of transplant services in the southwestern United States. And it complements Mayo Clinic's multidisciplinary team practice and existing transplant program of excellence for liver, kidney and pancreas transplant.

Mayo Clinic in Arizona was approved for heart transplantation by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) on Sept. 26, 2005, and officially opened its program. The first heart transplant was performed on Oct. 19, 2005, and the second transplant followed 10 days later. In 2009, Mayo Clinic in Arizona performed its 50th heart transplant.

The Mayo Clinic Heart Transplant Program represents "one door" to Mayo's three sites in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. Patients at any site benefit from the expertise and collaboration of experienced transplant physicians at all three locations. Collectively, Mayo Clinic performs more solid organ transplants than any other medical entity in the United States. See volumes and statistics for Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

Heart transplantation is not a cure, but a successful outcome can greatly enhance a patient's quality of life. The decision to proceed with heart transplantation depends on the patient's health status, blood type, body size, and the availability of an organ. Patients are considered for heart transplantation when the function of the heart cannot be significantly improved by medical therapy or other surgeries. Mayo Clinic evaluates each potential transplant recipient. For information about a person's eligibility, please contact the heart transplant team.

Treatment Team

This treatment may involve specialists in the Heart Failure and Transplantation Program in the Department of Transplantation.

Appointments

For appointments or more information, call the Central Appointment Office at 800-446-2279 (toll-free) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain time, Monday through Friday or complete an online appointment request form.

Housing

In many cases, transplant recipients need to stay close to the hospital for a time following transplantation. Housing information can be obtained from the transplant social worker during evaluation.

The Arizona Transplant House offers low-cost, homelike lodging for transplant patients and family members. The mission of the Arizona Transplant House is to provide high-quality, affordable accommodations in a caring, homelike environment for transplant patients and their family members/companions to foster mutual moral support, fellowship, sharing of experiences and a successful health care experience.

The Arizona Transplant House is part of the new Village at Mayo Clinic, a community lodging option for transplant and cancer patients. Casitas (Southwestern-style small houses) offer a home-away-from-home to Mayo Clinic's growing numbers of transplant patients. Each 4,100-square-foot casita will have six bedrooms and six bathrooms, a dining room, library, kitchen and laundry facility patients and their caregivers.