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Review
. 2025 May 15;21(3):5-12.
doi: 10.14797/mdcvj.1579. eCollection 2025.

History of Heart Transplant: Setting the Stage

Farhan Ishaq  1 , Ashrith Guha  1
Affiliations
Review

History of Heart Transplant: Setting the Stage

Farhan Ishaq et al. Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J. .

Abstract

Heart transplantation is a marvel of modern medicine for patients with end-stage heart failure. Decades of research and surgical innovation have overcome challenges in immunology, organ preservation, and patient care. From the earliest heart transplants on canines and primates, the field evolved through immunosuppressive therapies, development of the bioptome for endomyocardial biopsy and, recently, the use of cell free DNA and molecular microscopy for assessing rejection. Newer developments in organ preservation systems and transport systems bring remarkable increases in the availability of donors.

Keywords: cardiac transplant; heart transplant; history of heart transplant; transplantation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Figures

Timeline of the history of transplantation
Figure 1
Timeline of the history of transplantation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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