Georgia sees second-ever liver-heart transplant at Piedmont
Credit: Piedmont Healthcare
ATLANTA - Surgeons at Piedmont Transplant Institute and Piedmont Heart Institute have performed a rare joint liver-heart transplant, marking the first time in a decade the procedure has been completed for an adult patient in Georgia. It is only the second time such a surgery has ever been performed in the state.
What we know:
According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, just 50 dual liver-heart transplants have ever been performed across the Southeast. The procedure is used for patients whose heart and liver fail simultaneously, a situation in which transplanting only one organ may not be enough to save a life. Studies show, for example, that patients with cirrhosis undergoing a standalone heart transplant face mortality rates close to 50%.
What they're saying:
Dr. Ezequiel Molina, surgical director of the hospital’s heart transplant program, said the complex surgeries require intensive teamwork from start to finish.
Piedmont Atlanta has offered liver transplants for 20 years and heart transplants for 13, becoming one of the busiest transplant centers in the country. It ranks in the top 10 nationally for liver transplants by patient volume and top 5 for heart transplants. Over the past year, the hospital performed 33% more liver transplants than the year before, while its heart transplant program has grown by 500% since 2022 and added another 24% increase in the most recent fiscal year.
Why you should care:
Since its first liver transplant in 2005, Piedmont Atlanta has performed more than 2,100 such procedures. The hospital also provides combined kidney-heart, kidney-liver and kidney-pancreas transplants. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Piedmont Heart Institute the best in Georgia for cardiology, heart and vascular surgery.