Dr. Swati Mohan

A heart transplant is an operation in which a failing, diseased heart is replaced with a healthier, donor heart. Heart transplant is a treatment that's usually reserved for people who have tried medications or other surgeries, but their conditions haven't sufficiently improved.

While a heart transplant is a major operation, your chance of survival is good, with appropriate follow-up care.

When faced with a decision about having a heart transplant, know what to expect of the heart transplant process, the surgery itself, potential risks and follow-up care.

Why it's done

Heart transplants are performed when other treatments for heart problems haven't worked, leading to heart failure. In adults, heart failure can be caused by several conditions, including:

1. A weakening of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy)
2. Coronary artery disease
3. Heart valve disease
4. A heart problem you're born with (congenital heart defect)
5. Dangerous recurring abnormal heart rhythms (ventricular arrhythmias) not controlled by other treatments
6. Amyloidosis
7. Failure of a previous heart transplant
8. In children, heart failure is most often caused by either a congenital heart defect or a cardiomyopathy.

Another organ transplant may be performed at the same time as a heart transplant (multiorgan transplant) in people with certain conditions at select medical centers. Multiorgan transplants include:

1. Heart-kidney transplant. This procedure may be an option for some people with kidney failure in addition to heart failure.
2. Heart-liver transplant. This procedure may be an option for people with certain liver and heart conditions.
3. Heart-lung transplant. Rarely, doctors may suggest this procedure for some people with severe lung and heart diseases, if the conditions aren't able to be treated by only a heart transplant or lung transplant.

Factors that may affect your eligibility for a heart transplant

A heart transplant isn't the right treatment for everyone. Certain factors may mean you're not a good candidate for a heart transplant. While each case is considered individually by a transplant center, a heart transplant may not be appropriate if you:

1. Are an advanced age that would interfere with the ability to recover from transplant surgery
2. Have another medical condition that could shorten your life, regardless of receiving a donor heart, such as a serious kidney, liver or lung disease
3. Have an active infection
4. Have a recent personal medical history of cancer
5. Are unwilling or unable to make lifestyle changes necessary to keep your donor heart healthy, such as not drinking alcohol or not smoking

What happens after the transplant?

Most people leave hospital within about four weeks of the operation, but depending on your condition, you may need to stay in hospital for longer.

In the first few months after your surgery you will need to spend a lot of time visiting the hospital – you might even need to stay near the transplant centre. Your transplant team will talk to you about practical arrangements for after your surgery.

Although you will be weak after the operation, recovery can be very quick. It is important to build up your level of activity gradually. You should avoid activities involving lifting and pushing until your breastbone is fully healed, which can take up to three or four months.

Once you feel fit and able, you can start doing things like light vacuuming or light gardening. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a cardiologist.

There are various kinds of skin diseases such as eczema, allergic dermatitis, vitiligo, psoriasis, herpes which cause rashes along with violent itching, which becomes worse by scratching. It occurs as a result of getting rid of some poison in the system, either congenital or acquired. Skin problems can be local or can spread throughout the body. These occur due to infection, heat, immune system disorder, allergies due to elastic, rubber products, detergents, dust, etc., food allergies, menstruation, hereditary issues and many other factors. Homeopathy has proved very effective in such skin diseases, as it cures the basic cause of the same by studying not only the skin type, but also the genetic and immune system factors of the patient.

Following are some useful homeopathic medicines for skin diseases: 

1. Rhus Toxicodendron: This is very helpful for eczema where the skin is covered with numerous vesicular eruptions accompanied by violent itching, swelling, tingling, etc. which increase during night time and cold weather.
2. Graphites: These treat common skin problems like dry and itchy skin, cracked corners of eyes and mouth, scruffy eruptions on the scalp, face, bends of joints, between fingers and behind the ears.
3. Pulsatilla: Mostly a remedy for female related skin issues such as rashes due to profuse or scanty menses, gastric or uterine problems, nettle rashes and also acne which increase during winter.
4. Sepia: This is the best medicine for herpes, which cures symptoms like dry skin at first, followed by release of moist discharge leading to brownish, liver or yellow spots. It is also helpful for eczema and psoriasis.
5. Sulphur: The exact skin remedy for soreness and itching in the folds of the skin, roughness, coarseness and burning sensation due to washing. It is also useful for itching in the scalp, hair fall, deficient growth of nails, acne, psoriasis and eczema.
6. Nitricum Acidum: This medicine is useful for treating ulcers in mouth, tongue or genital tracts that bleed easily and other physical irritabilities.
7. Thuja Occidentalis: Effective for warts, acne, scaly patches and age spots.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!