Heart Transplant Surgery
Heart transplant surgery is used to remove a damaged heart and replace it with a healthy donor heart. In this surgery, a surgeon will make a cut in your ribcage to expose the inside of your chest. The old heart will be removed and the new heart implanted. Recovery times after a heart transplant vary depending on your overall health and how well the new heart functions. Many patients need at least one or two weeks recovering in the hospital after surgery and then additional recovery time at home.