Toronto doctors have successfully conducted a pioneering heart transplant with a heart that had ceased beating, as reported by the University Health Network (UHN). The operation, which took place in early September at Toronto General Hospital, marked Canada’s first donation after death by circulatory criteria (DCC) heart transplant, according to a news release from UHN.
Traditionally, heart donations originate from donors with no brain activity and a functioning heart. However, in the DCC process, the heart is retrieved from a deceased patient, UHN explained. Despite a brief period without oxygen, advancements in medical technology now enable these hearts to be transplanted successfully under specific criteria.
UHN specified that donors for the DCC process are individuals with no chance of neurological recovery, who have not been declared brain dead by a neurologist. Upon confirmation of death and in accordance with the patient’s or their family’s wishes, life support is discontinued, and the heart is removed.
Dr. Seyed Alireza Rabi, a cardiac surgeon from the transplantation team, reported that the recipient of Toronto’s DCC heart transplant is recovering well. This breakthrough offers hope to patients awaiting life-saving transplants, especially those with advanced heart failure.
According to data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, by the end of 2024, there were 155 adults and 29 children in Canada awaiting heart transplants. UHN anticipates that the DCC procedure will expand the heart donor pool by 30%.
Dr. Rabi emphasized that while the procedure is not new, its successful implementation in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States since 2014 has provided valuable insights for the Toronto team. He highlighted the critical warm and cold periods during the process to minimize heart damage and reduce the time between donor and recipient.
Dr. Thomas Forbes, UHN’s surgeon in chief, hailed the DCC heart transplant as a significant advancement in transplant surgery in Canada, offering new hope to Canadians with late-stage heart failure. He stressed that for patients with end-stage heart failure, limited options for heart transplants and donor availability impact life expectancy.
Ontario’s Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, commended the UHN team for achieving a historic milestone in Canadian healthcare with the first DCC heart transplant in the country. She lauded the innovation and collaboration that contributed to saving more lives.