Procedure to remove a diseased heart and replace it with a healthy one from a legally dead donor.
The first was performed in 1967 by Christiaan Barnard . The diseased heart is removed (except for some atrial tissue to preserve nerve connections to the natural pacemaker ). The new heart is put in place and connected to the recipient's blood vessels. Patients and donors are matched for tissue type, but the patient's immune system must still be suppressed to prevent rejection (see immunosuppression ). A successful transplant can enable the recipient to have an active life for many years.