kuala lumpur: The National Heart Institute (IJN) reaffirms its commitment to advances in heart failure treatment and raising awareness of organ donation following the successful completion of two heart transplants earlier this year.
IJN said in a statement today that the two patients, both in their late teens, underwent heart transplants in January and are recovering well after the surgery.
“Both patients were diagnosed with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disease in which the heart chambers become stretched and thinned. This makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood to other parts of the body and In some cases, it can lead to heart failure.”
According to IJN, the first patient was a 19-year-old who finally received the life-saving gift of a new heart in January after enduring an agonizing eight-month waiting list starting in May 2023, but the second patient He was 18 years old. – At an advanced age, I received a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant, which opened the door to a possible transplant in February.
“The use of state-of-the-art medical technology and the unwavering dedication of IJN’s medical team played a key role in ensuring a seamless transition from LVAD support to successful implantation,” the report said.
IJN Chief Executive Officer Datuk Isai Azhan Dr Abdul Rahim said in a media briefing today that IJN is currently working with the support of a highly trained multidisciplinary team to He said it is the only hospital in Malaysia that provides lung transplants and artificial heart transplants.
After pioneering heart and lung transplants in Malaysia in 1997 and 2005 respectively, IJN also performed the country’s first artificial heart transplant in 2005 and the first heart-lung transplant in 2007.
To date, the center has successfully performed 29 heart transplants, 6 lung transplants, 6 heart-lung transplants, 36 LVAD transplants, and 7 LVAD-to-heart transplant surgeries.
“We are proud to celebrate these two medical victories, especially after transplant surgeries were disrupted due to a shortage of organ donors. This success is also a testament to the strength of our community. We are grateful to the various stakeholders who helped us transform the lives of these young patients,” said Dr. Isai Azan.
He said that while these two latest heart transplants highlight IJN’s strengths in the management of complex cardiac cases, they also highlight the critical need for increased organ donor participation in Malaysia. Ta.
Meanwhile, IJN Chairman Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Health (MOH) for its support to IJN’s heart, lung transplant and mechanical heart programmes.
“The Ministry of Health’s support and funding for this program has benefited 77 patients to date. We are confident that this collaboration will continue to help provide life-saving opportunities to many more patients. We hope that this will happen and would also very much welcome potential partnerships with the corporate sector to this end,” he said.
Dr. Noor Hisham reiterated that organ donation has a huge impact on individuals and families, saying, “Every registered organ donor has the potential to turn despair into hope. Just by registering. , you too can give the gift of life to patients in need.”
Dr. Noor Hisham said that 382,000 people in Malaysia have taken the oath to donate organs to date, but 0.02% of them are still reluctant to donate their organs due to negative stigma or family conflicts. said.
“Governments have always provided funding and subsidies for organ transplants, and like Turkiye, who are far ahead in organ transplants, we want to progress in this field.” He said he hoped people would register. –bernama
