Organ Donation

Organ Donation supplies organs, such as hearts, to those in need of an organ transplant. A heart transplant is a surgical procedure that replaces a failing heart with a healthy donor heart. Physicians make a midline incision and open the sternum to get to the heart.

The great vessels of the heart are attached to a heart-lung bypass machine to maintain blood flow to the body and brain. The unhealthy heart is removed and a healthy donor heart is then sutured into place. The heart-lung bypass machine is removed and the new heart is restarted.

Individuals can choose to donate their organs if they die. If you’d like to donate your heart or other organs when you die, be sure to tell members of your family. In some states, you can state your wishes on the back of your driver’s license. You may also contact an organ donation organization to ask for more information.