Ochsner Health System today announced it has completed its 1000th successful heart transplant. The New Orleans-based hospital network says the milestone is a testament to the late John L. Ochsner, Sr., MD, who performed the first human heart transplant in the Gulf South region in 1970.
"We are so proud of our team’s relentless spirit and dedication to seeking innovative solutions for patients and improving their quality of life – not just today, but for years to come,” said Hector O. Ventura, MD, FACC, FACP, Section Head, Cardiomyopathy & Heart Transplantation, John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute (JOHVI).
Ochsner Health System said 13 other institutions have reached the 1,000 milestone: "Cleveland Clinic, Duke University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, University of Pennsylvania, to name a few."
"Receiving a heart transplant is a rare and lifesaving gift. It’s humbling to think of how many lives our heart transplant program has impacted over the last fifty years," said Patrick E. Parrino, MD, FACS, Chief, Section of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Ochsner Health System. "We are incredibly thankful to all the donors and their families who have contributed to making this possible."
More than 100,000 men, women and children in the United States are on the organ transplant waiting list, including more than 2,000 in Louisiana. A single donor can save up to nine lives.
Click here for more information from Ochsner on how to register as a donor.