The woman’s life-saving operation was performed by cardiac surgeons at the Transplantation Centre of the First Medical Association of Lviv. This year, this is the 18th heart transplant at this medical facility.
Before her illness, Kateryna from Lviv was a happy person: she had a wonderful family, a beloved husband and two beautiful children. But everything changed six years ago. The young woman developed arrhythmia, an abnormal heart rhythm. Moreover, the attacks were very sharp and intense: the pulse suddenly accelerated to 180-200 beats per minute (with a normal rate of 80-100).
The doctors treated Kateryna’s arrhythmia with pills and even performed two minimally invasive interventions – radiofrequency cardiac ablation. This is one of the most modern and effective methods of treating this disease. Unfortunately, the procedure did not help this patient. And 2 years ago, the woman’s heart completely failed – she started to develop delicate cardiomyopathy.
The heart chambers dilated pathologically, the ventricles dysfunctioned and the organ stopped pumping blood properly. Only a heart transplant could save Kateryna.
“In May 2022, I was completely exhausted from these attacks. The only thing I could do with my children was help them with their homework. Imagine, they are growing up and I can’t even play with them. So, for the sake of my children, I decided to join the waiting list for a donor organ. I was very scared,” says Kateryna.
Recently, she has been unable to do anything at all. Even when she was just lying down, her heart was beating furiously. There was pressure in her chest, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe. Heart failure began to affect the functioning of other organs. Complications appeared. And when, after two years of waiting, Kateryna almost lost hope of being saved, she received a call from the Lviv Transplantation Centre.
“When I got the call, I was scared and even thought about refusing at first. But the support of my children and husband gave me hope. We went to the hospital,” Kateryna shares her experiences.
Meanwhile, a team of cardiac surgeons was already waiting for her at the hospital. The heart transplant was successful. And on the 10th day, Kateryna went home.
After completing her rehabilitation, the woman dreams of a summer trip – finally taking her children to the sea. The doctors thank the relatives of the posthumous donor for making a difficult decision for them, which gave the sick patients a chance for a second life.
To make an appointment for a consultation with the specialists of the Transplantation Centre in Lviv, please call: +380 (68) 513 37 10. Address: 9 Mykolaychuk Street, Lviv (St. Panteleimon’s Hospital).
As a reminder, Lviv is one of the leaders in Ukrainian transplantation. The first transplant was performed here in February 2020. It was here that the pancreas and kidneys were transplanted for the first time in Ukraine, as well as the first heart-lung transplant in Ukraine and a successful split liver transplant. In total, over 4 years, Lviv doctors have transplanted more than 400 donor organs.