UMC reaches milestone by transplanting 500th heart

Dr. Jack Copeland, UMC's cardiovascular chief, and Dr. Bruce Toporoff, University of Arizona assistant professor of surgery, gave Phoenix resident Judith Jankowski, 54, a new heart Jan. 2. The mother of two is now listed in stable condition.

"The 500th heart transplant is definitely a milestone. Not too many programs in the country have done that many transplants," Toporoff said. "The 500th shows the program has been successful for close to 10 years. It shows consistency."

Copeland performed the first heart transplant in Arizona and established UMC's heart transplant program in 1979. At that time, the program was one of six of its kind in the nation.

In 1985, UMC's cardiovascular team was the first-ever to use an artificial heart as an alternative to a transplant.

"There are a lot of heart innovations and wonderful ventricular assist devices used," said Nancy Edling, UMC's lead transplant coordinator.

UMC averages a 94 percent survival rate for one year following heart transplant surgery, and 81 percent after five years, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. The national success rate is 82 percent after one year.

Toporoff attributed the high survival rate of heart transplant patients at UMC to organ and patient selection, a "team approach" and very close follow-up.

Edling said UMC's close patient screening is a key to transplant success.

"We want to make sure we're doing the best thing for the patient by giving them a heart," she said.

Edling said organ recipients at UMC are selected randomly by the United Network for Organ Sharing.

Patients with "end stage" cardiac disease, expected to survive less than 12 months, get top priority on the program's waiting list.

Surgeons around the nation performed 2,000 heart transplants in 1996, and as of last week, 3,786 patients were still in need of donor hearts, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.

In July, UMC's heart program was ranked 18th by U.S. News and World Report magazine.

UMC's team of heart surgeons successfully completed its 502nd heart transplant yesterday.

"I think the future outlook of the program is encouraging," Edling said.