Pediatric Heart Transplant Steps
A child’s doctors will consider a heart transplant when neither medicines nor other procedures can keep the child healthy.
Steps for a Pediatric Heart Transplant
The Children’s Heart Transplant team will discuss each step with the child and his family.
- Step 1
The child’s doctor refers him to Children’s. The child’s doctor must state the child’s need for a pediatric heart transplant.
- Step 2
Our financial counselors obtain financial approval for the child’s pre-transplant evaluation and for the pediatric heart transplant.
- Step 3
Once we receive financial approval, we will call the family to schedule a pre-transplant evaluation date. A pre-transplant evaluation is a series of tests. These tests help the Children’s Heart Transplant team decide if a pediatric heart transplant is the best option for the child. The heart transplant team will help the family understand the child’s options.
- Step 4
The child will have a pre-transplant evaluation at Children’s at Egleston. This is usually a one- or two-day process done either as an outpatient visit or while the child is in the hospital.
- Step 5
Based on the evaluation, the pediatric heart transplant doctors and team will decide if a heart transplant is the best option for the child. If a pediatric heart transplant is an option for the child, the child’s name is placed on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list.
- Step 6
The child waits to be matched with a heart from the UNOS list.
- Step 7
The child has pediatric heart transplant surgery. He will stay in the hospital for about 10 to 14 days.
- Step 8
The child will receive follow-up care at Children's at Egleston after his pediatric heart transplant surgery.