Partial Heart Transplantation

Also known as: partial heart valve transplantation

What is a partial heart transplantation?

A partial heart transplantation is an innovative treatment option for selected infants and children with certain congenital heart defects affecting the heart valves. It involves replacing diseased valves with living and healthy donor valves. This may be an option when valve repair is not possible or when previous valve replacements have failed. The advantage of partial heart transplantation is that the transplanted valves have the potential to grow with the child, offering the possibility of fewer valve replacement procedures in the future.

What happens during the procedure?

A partial heart transplantation is a major open-heart operation performed under general anesthesia and with the support of a cardiopulmonary bypass machine. During surgery, the diseased heart valve and surrounding tissue are removed and replaced with living donor tissue. The goal is to restore normal valve function and blood flow through the heart while providing a valve that can continue to grow as the child grows. Most patients will spend several days in the cardiac intensive care unit before continuing their recovery in the hospital.

What are the risk factors?

A partial heart transplantation is a complex surgical procedure and, like all major heart operations, carries potential risks. Your child's medical team will discuss these risks and expected outcomes in detail. Despite these challenges, early clinical experience has been encouraging, and this innovative approach offers new possibilities for children who previously had limited treatment options. Many children who undergo successful treatment are able to grow, attend school, participate in age-appropriate activities, and enjoy a good quality of life.

Reviewed by: David Kalfa, MD

This page was last updated on: June 25, 2026 03:35 PM

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