Geneva [Switzerland], October 17: The Geneva University Hospital (HUG) in Switzerland announced Thursday that its medical team has successfully carried out Europe's first partial heart transplant on a 12-year-old child with a complex congenital heart defect.
Performed in September, the groundbreaking operation involved transplanting only part of a donor heart, specifically the aortic and pulmonary valves, rather than replacing the entire organ. This innovative approach allows the transplanted valves to grow with the child, reducing the need for multiple surgeries and potentially offering a lifelong solution.
The procedure was led by paediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Tornike Sologashvili and initiated by paediatric cardiologist Dr. Julie Wacker, who have been developing the hospital's partial heart transplantation program for the past two years.
According to HUG, the young patient is recovering well under medical supervision.
Since the technique was first introduced in 2022, only about 30 such transplants have been performed globally, all in the United States. The European first at HUG marks a major advance in paediatric cardiac surgery, offering new hope for children with selected congenital heart conditions.
Dr. Wacker highlighted the benefits of the technique, noting that by preserving the patient's own heart muscle, the risk of rejection is reduced, the need for immunosuppressive therapy is limited, and the implanted valves adapt as the child grows.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
