Heart Transplant
Our Approach to Treatment
Our team at Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center builds on the work of legendary cardiac surgeon Dr. Michael E DeBakey, who performed his first heart transplant in 1968. Houston Methodist has become a leading U.S. transplant site, performing more than 760 heart transplants.
We operate one of the few active heart-lung transplant centers in the nation and outpace the southern United States in heart and multi-organ transplant — Kidney/heart, liver/heart and lung/heart.Houston Methodist’s team has set the standard for heart transplants. Doctors refer hundreds of patients to our highly skilled experts for evaluation, diagnoses and treatment of advanced heart failure and other conditions.
We provide second opinions for patients seeking heart transplants or ventricular assist devices (VADs) who do not qualify at other centers. Houston Methodist is home to one of the longest running and most established programs nationwide for mechanical heart support for advanced heart failure patients. The pump, a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), can extend the lives of advanced heart failure patients who do not qualify for heart transplantation, or assist those who await transplantation.
We offer expertise in all areas of disease management, including access to clinical trials and advanced technology, to meet patients’ needs. Our team, including cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, intensivists, pathologists, social workers, financial coordinators and dietitians, manages each patient’s case while providing compassionate personal support.
Patient Stories
Perhaps the best way to learn about our transplant specialists is through our patients. We invite you to read these inspiring stories.- Brian Gilliam’s new heart got him back on the golf course and back into life with his family.
- Rochelle Johnson’s quest for a healthy heart led her to Houston Methodist; now she enjoys every minute of her busy life with three kids.
- Cloyd Powell talks about how a ventricular assist device helped him stay alive and active until he could undergo transplant surgery.
Left Ventricular Assist Device: Curtis’ Story
Diagnosed with congestive heart failure, Curtis Dumesnil became so sick he couldn’t breathe. The left ventricular assist device (LVAD) Houston Methodist doctors implanted vastly improved Dumesnil’s health and his quality of life, allowing him to travel, fish and start his own business. “It’s the smartest thing I ever did,” Dumesnil said. “I haven’t felt this good in years.”
