Oklahoma Children’s Hospital has become the first and only hospital in the state to perform pediatric heart transplants. Previously, children needing new hearts had to leave Oklahoma, but now they can receive comprehensive heart care at the hospital. Dr. Harold Burkhart, a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at OU Health, has been leading the efforts to build up the Oklahoma Children’s Heart Surgery program over the last decade with the goal of performing transplants and allowing kids to receive care in a familiar environment. The hospital has already added the first child to the organ transplant list, and they hope to receive a heart for this patient in the next few months. The hospital plans to perform eight to ten heart transplants a year, with more scheduled as the program grows.
This development is a significant step forward for pediatric heart transplant patients in Oklahoma. It eliminates the need for families to travel out of state, allowing children to receive care at a facility where they are familiar with their medical team. Dr. Burkhart expressed his satisfaction with accomplishing their goal after a decade of work. He emphasized the importance of building the necessary infrastructure, including nurses, operating room personnel, and physicians, to ensure the ability to provide comprehensive care to children who are severely ill and in need of a heart transplant. The hospital expects the program to expand in the future, offering hope to more children in need of life-saving heart transplants.
