Heart Transplant
Vanderbilt University Medical Center performs more heart transplants than any other program in the world, providing patients with outstanding outcomes and access to innovative new research and treatments. Our specialists also provide heart-kidney, heart-liver and heart-lung transplants for patients with multiple organ failure.
Conditions We Treat
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congenital heart disease
- Graft failure (retransplant)
- Valvular heart disease
Meet Your Care Team
Keki BalsaraMD, MBA
- Cardiac Surgery, Cardiac Transplantation, Carotid Disease, Coronary Heart Disease, Heart Assist Devices, Surgery for Cardiac Infections
Jordan HoffmanMD
- Aortic Aneurysms, Cardiac Surgery, Cardiac Transplantation, Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart Assist Devices, Heart Transplant, Heart Transplantation
William G. McMasterJr, MD
- Cardiac Surgery, Cardiac Transplantation, Cardiac Valve Disease, Coronary Heart Disease, Heart Assist Devices, Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
Ashish S. ShahMD
- Aortic Center, Cardiac Surgery, Cardiac Tumors, Cardiac Valve Disease, Heart Assist Devices, Heart Transplant, Heart Valve Center
John M. TrahanasMD
- Aortic Aneurysms, Cardiac Surgery, Cardiac Transplantation, Cardiac Valve Disease, Coronary Heart Disease, Heart Transplant, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement/TAVR
Douglas M. BrinkleyJr, MD
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplantation, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy & Inherited Disease, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Joann LindenfeldMD
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Jonathan N. MenachemMD
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Henry H. OoiMD
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, General Cardiology, Heart Transplant, Heart Transplantation
Dawn M. PedrottyMD, PhD
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplant, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Lynn R. PunnooseMD
- Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplant, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Aniket S. RaliMD
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplant, Heart Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Suzanne B. SacksMD, MS
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Kelly H. SchlendorfMD, MHS
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplant, Heart Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Hasan K. SiddiqiMD, MSCI
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplant, Heart Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Mark A. WiggerMD
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplant, Heart Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Sandip K. ZalawadiyaMBBS
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Dawn H. EckAPRN
- Cardiac Surgery, Cardiac Transplantation, Heart Transplant, Lung Transplant, Transplant
Donna HarmonMSN
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, General Cardiology, Heart Transplant
Douglas C. WestCRNP, MSN
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Transplant, Heart and Vascular, Mechanical Circulatory Support
Why Choose Heart Transplant at Vanderbilt
- Knowledge and experience
Vanderbilt University Medical Center performs more heart transplants than any other program in the world. Our vast experience means expert care for you.
- Excellent outcomes
Results for Vanderbilt heart transplant patients regularly exceed national standards.
- Advanced treatment
We offer mechanical support options while you wait for a heart transplant—or sometimes instead of a transplant. For example, a ventricular assist device (VAD) allows you to live normally at home. As one of the first hospitals in the Southeast to offer VADs, we’ve implanted more than 500, including implanting the first total artificial heart in 2018. We were also among the first to provide extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for patients with severe conditions.
- Innovation
Our heart transplant teams helped pioneer the transplant of hearts from donors with hepatitis C. This greatly increases the number of healthy donor hearts available for waiting recipients. Our teams also were among the first to use ex vivo perfusion, keeping a heart beating while in transit from donor to recipient. This helps ensure the donor heart you receive is the healthiest it can be.
- Veterans care
We are one of only five transplant programs designated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide heart transplants to our nation’s veterans.
- Coordinated pharmacy services
Our transplant pharmacists offer the highest level of care and expertise for transplant patients. Each transplant pharmacist works directly with doctors and staff to monitor patients' care plans.
- Comprehensive care
Now that more people with congenital heart disease are living well into adulthood, Vanderbilt provides them with special care through our Advanced Congenital Cardiac Therapies group. This team is a unique collaboration of adult congenital heart disease, heart failure, heart surgery and heart transplant specialists. They understand the complexity of heart transplants for people with congenital heart disease and can guide you through the process.
- Recognized care
Vanderbilt is consistently ranked among the nation’s best by leading authorities on health care quality. People from throughout the Southeast and across the country rely on us for the best and most innovative care possible.
Tests, Treatments and Services
We offer a full range of tests, treatments and services, including:
- Treatment of advanced heart failure
- Heart transplant
- Ventricular assist devices (VADs)
- Dual-organ transplant
More Information
Support Resources
Heart Transplant Patient & Caregiver Support Group
First Tuesday of every month
2-3 p.m.
Village at Vanderbilt
1500 21st Ave. S, Suite 3100
Nashville, TN 37232