A GIFT THAT CAN'T BE BEAT

Medical City Celebrates 400th Heart Transplant

On January 29, after spending months on the transplant list, 60-year-old David Vines received his new heart.  Although completing a heart transplant is a milestone every time it happens, this one was particularly special since it represented the 400th transplant ever performed at Medical City.

Less than five days later, the transplant team treated Mr. Vines and his wife, Elaine, to a special party in his room to commemorate the milestone, capped off by a large cake iced with the number "400" in green - the color of life.  "We do these transplants one by one and not hundreds at a time," shared Dr. Todd Dewey, surgical director of heart transplant and mechanical assist devices at Medical City.  "We are excited to achieve this significant milestone, and grateful for the improved surgical techniques, advanced drugs, innovative technology and expertise of our team that make it all possible," he said.

Medical City's transplant team is one of the most active adult heart transplant programs in North Texas.  In 1991, a team led by heart surgeon and transplant pioneer Michael Mack, M.D., played a key role in establishing the heart transplant program that today performs around 30 heart transplants per year.

According to the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR),  survival rates for Medical City heart transplant patients, at one-year and three-year post surgery, exceed the national expected survival results.  Medical City has also received national recognition for its organ donor program as three-time recipients of the U.S. Health and Human Services Medal of Honor.

Several weeks after his life-saving transplant, Mr. Vines feels pretty good, all things considered.  He will continue his post-transplant care with weekly visits to the hospital for tests and therapy, which will taper off as his recovery continues.  He chuckles at the thought of being a Medical City celebrity after the local media coverage of his transplant.  Still, the fact that he can even laugh today is a testament to importance of research, committed cardiovascular specialists and most importantly, organ donors.

The need to raise organ donor awareness is ever-present because of the significan decline in available organs for life-saving operations.  For more information, or to register as donor, visit www.donatelifetexas.org.