Oklahoma Children’s Hospital has become the first and only hospital in Oklahoma to offer pediatric heart transplants. Previously, children in the state had to travel elsewhere to receive this life-saving procedure. The decision to offer pediatric heart transplants came after an Oklahoma child was added to the national transplant list to receive a new heart. The hospital expects to perform eight to ten heart transplants per year, with the potential for more as the program grows.
The hospital had to establish the necessary infrastructure, including nursing staff, operating room personnel, and physicians, before being able to offer this service. Dr. Burkhart, a physician at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, explained that this has given them the capability to care for children who are critically ill and in need of a heart transplant. The first child to be placed on the organ transplant list is expected to receive a heart in the next few months. After the success of the first transplant, the hospital aims to expand the program to help more children in need.
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