A unique medical procedure has been performed in Ukraine: for the first time in the country, a heart transplant was carried out on a child who had previously undergone a Fontan procedure. This was reported by the Center for Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
The operation was performed under conditions of complex logistics and high responsibility. The donor organ was transported from the National Children's Specialized Medical Institution (NDSI) "Ochmatdet" to the Center for Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery of the Ministry of Health.
Ceremonial transfer and "corridor of honor"
The procedure for transferring the donor organ was accompanied by a special ritual, emphasizing the significance of the moment. At the NDSI "Ochmatdet," medical staff formed a "corridor of honor" for the child donor and their family. The heart was transported in complete silence to honor the memory of the deceased child.
The Center for Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery expressed deep condolences to the donor's parents. The medical professionals emphasized that it was their decision, made at the moment of the gravest loss, to consent to organ donation that allowed them to save another child's life.
Medical uniqueness of the operation
According to specialists, the recipient (the patient who received the organ) had previously undergone a Fontan procedure. This is a complex surgical intervention performed in cases of severe congenital heart defects when it is impossible to restore normal hemodynamics using standard methods.
The Center for Cardiology noted that this is the first case in Ukraine where a heart transplant was performed on a patient after a Fontan procedure. According to the doctors, the donor heart resumed its function immediately in the operating room, giving the child a chance to continue living.
Context: donation during wartime
This case is part of the history of the development of transplantology in Ukraine under wartime conditions. Previously, the media reported on other unique cases of saving children thanks to organ donation at "Ochmatdet".
In particular, the clinic previously performed post-mortem organ donation after brain death was declared in a 4-year-old girl. Despite air raid alerts and rocket attacks, doctors were able to save the lives of three children by transplanting a heart, liver, and kidneys.
The press also covered a case in Lviv, where a 20-year-old Vitaliy Dats received two donor hearts within 52 hours. The first organ stopped working immediately after the operation, but the re-transplant was successful, marking an unprecedented case in Ukrainian medicine.
