Heart transplant and VAD in Austin

Why choose us

When you choose Ascension Seton Heart Specialty Care and Transplant Center, you receive leading surgical care for heart disease and heart failure, including heart pumps and heart transplant. Our program is certified by The Joint Commission as a Ventricular Assist Device Program offering both Bridge to Transplant (BTT) and Destination Therapy (DT) options.

Your care is personalized to your stage or heart failure and needs including advanced medical therapies, standard and minimally invasive procedures, VAD and heart transplant. Your doctor also connects the dots for your care -- including connecting you to heart screenings and the right cardiovascular specialists.

Understand your heart failure

Congestive heart failure is a condition that has stages and gets worse over time. When your heart is unable to pump blood properly, you may experience heart failure. When you have reached advanced heart failure, your doctor may suggest a heart transplant or ventricular assist device (VAD) to help restore your heart function.

Heart failure is a serious condition. At Ascension Seton Heart Specialty Care and Transplant Center, your experienced care team has the expertise to deliver a personalized heart care plan based on your specific needs.

Understanding heart transplantation

A heart transplant replaces a severely diseased or failing heart with a healthy donor heart, restoring the heart's ability to pump blood effectively. Heart transplantation can improve survival, physical function, and quality of life for eligible patients with end-stage heart disease. You may need a heart transplant if your heart doesn't respond to medical therapy or a VAD. Your cardiologist will work with our dedicated transplant team and provide personalized care every step of the heart transplant journey, from evaluation and donor matching to surgery and lifelong follow-up.

Know if you are a candidate for a heart transplant

The first step is an evaluation to see if you meet the criteria for a transplant. There are many factors that affect whether you are a good candidate for heart transplant and whether it might work well for you, which our specialists will discuss in detail with you.

If you are a candidate for a heart transplant, you will be placed on the national waitlist. Wait times can vary from a few months to years, depending on your height and weight, blood typing, and organ availability.

While you are waiting for your new heart, you and your care team stay connected, with follow-up visits to monitor your heart health. Talk with your doctor about any new symptoms, your medications and diet while you prepare for your transplant.

Understanding VAD

If you are diagnosed with advanced heart failure, you may need a VAD. A ventricular assist device helps your heart temporarily or permanently pump blood throughout your body. A VAD may be recommended by your doctor if you are recovering from surgery, awaiting a heart transplant or unable to receive a heart transplant.

Receiving a VAD requires an open-heart surgery and patients typically stay in the hospital for multiple days following the procedure. After your surgery, your care team works with you and your caregivers to help you have an easier transition to your home, skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation care facility. A VAD can help keep you healthier while you wait for a heart transplant.

Understanding LVAD

A VAD may be used as a short-term or long-term treatment for patients with severe heart failure. Bridge-to-transplant therapy is a short-term option where the LVAD is used to support patients while they wait for a heart transplant. Long-term therapy, also called destination therapy, is for patients who are not good candidates for a heart transplant due to health complications or other reasons. Unlike bridge-to-transplant therapy, long-term therapy is used to support a patient’s heart for the rest of their life.

Our program is certified by The Joint Commission as a Ventricular Assist Device Program offering both Bridge to Transplant (BTT) and Destination Therapy (DT) options.

Patient education

Get detailed information on what to expect before and after your procedure. Learn how to prepare and what to expect with recovery from your care team.