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Singh et al. Vessel Plus 2018;2:33 Vessel Plus
DOI: 10.20517/2574-1209.2018.28

Review Open Access

Heart transplantation: a history lesson of Lazarus

Sanjeet Singh Avtaar Singh , Nicholas Banner , Colin Berry , Nawwar Al-Attar 1
2
1,3
3
1 Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Glasgow G81 4DY, UK.
2 Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support, Harefield Hospital, Harefield UB9 6JH, UK.
3 Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
Correspondence to: Sanjeet Singh Avtaar Singh, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Golden Jubilee National Hospital,
Glasgow G81 4DY, UK. E-mail: sanjeetsingh@nhs.net
How to cite this article: Singh SSA, Banner N, Berry C, Al-Attar N. Heart transplantation: a history lesson of Lazarus. Vessel Plus
2018;2:33. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2574-1209.2018.28

Received: 7 May 2018 First Decision: 25 Sep 2018 Revised: 26 Sep 2018 Accepted: 26 Sep 2018 Published: 24 Oct 2018

Science Editors: Mario F. L. Gaudino, Cristiano Spadaccio Copy Editor: Cai-Hong Wang Production Editor: Zhong-Yu Guo

Abstract
One of the notable advances in modern day medicine is organ transplantation. None more so than the heart. A complex
interaction between physiology, surgery and immunology that spanned decades, involving the hard work of many
pioneers in their fields. We revisit the contributions of the pioneers as well as marvel at the paradigm shifts in medicine
that have made heart transplantation safe and reproducible with in excess of 3000 transplants done yearly today.

Keywords: Heart transplantation, history, immunosuppression

ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION AND ANCIENT HISTORY
Organ transplantation is arguably one of the greatest feats of modern medicine of the past century. Initially
stemming from historical experimentation, it has become a mainstay of treatment for many chronic condi-
tions and continues to do so in spite of improvements in device technology. Organ donation however under-
went several challenges initially with cultural acceptance, ethics and legality, and political pressure. It has
since evolved with the merging of improvements in the donation-allocation-procurement process, advances
in technology, refinement of surgical technique, scientific breakthroughs in organ preservation, cognitive
and methodical improvements in immunology and immunosuppression alongside expertise in managing
adherent complications of organ transplantation.

In ancient civilisations, the practice of removal of organ/tissues for a multitude of reasons (beautification or
therapeutic) was initiated. Hindu texts from 3 millennia ago provide detailed accounts of skin grafting from

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as long
as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license,
and indicate if changes were made.

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