Heart transplants suspended
Friday, 21 Dec 2007 18:07
Heart transplants at Scottish hospital suspended after increase in deaths
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Heart transplants at a Scottish hospital have been suspended after an increase in the number of deaths following transplantations this year.
The suspension will last while an independent group carries out an external review of the Scottish National Heart Transplant Unit based at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
Beginning in early January, the review is expected to take several weeks and will be conducted by clinical and technical experts.
During this time patients awaiting transplantation in Glasgow will be transferred to the waiting list at the transplant unit of the Freeman hospital in Newcastle.
The review was prompted by the unusually high numbers of deaths after transplantation.
Although the early mortality rate of transplantation in Glasgow is the same as the UK average of around 13 per cent, of the 11 patients transplanted this year, four (36 per cent) have died within 30 days.
Commenting on the review a spokesperson for the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "This decision is in line with best practice and action taken by other heart transplant units in the UK…such reviews of transplant centres are not uncommon."
Heart failure affects about 150,000 people in Scotland. In the most severely affected people mortality rates approach 50 per cent per year and 100 per cent, but heart transplantation can reduce this to 30 and 40 per cent respectively.