什么是儿童心脏移植?

A heart transplant is a surgery to replace a diseased heart with a healthy one from an organ donor. Organ donors are adults or children who have become critically ill, often because because of injury. 他们不会因为生病或受伤而活下去. If the donor is an adult, he or she may have agreed to be an organ donor before becoming ill. Parents or spouses can also agree to donate a relative's organs. 捐赠者可以来自美国的任何地方.S.

为什么我的孩子可能需要心脏移植?

心脏移植手术s are recommended for children who have serious heart problems. These children are not able to live without having their heart replaced. Illnesses that affect the heart in this way include complex congenital heart disease, 出生时存在. 它们还包括心肌疾病(心肌病).

儿童心脏移植的风险是什么?

There are risks with any surgery, especially major surgery like this. 风险包括:

• 移植失败
• 感染，尤指抗排斥药物引起的感染
• 心脏衰竭
• 出血
• 血凝块
• 肺部问题

如何让我的孩子为心脏移植做好准备?

在心脏移植之前要做很多检查. These tests include blood tests that will make it more likely that the donor heart will not be rejected. Other tests are done to make sure your child and your family are emotionally ready for the transplant. 在这个过程中，你的孩子需要你的支持.

如果你的孩子适合做心脏移植手术, he or she will be put on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) list. Sometimes children wait only a few days or weeks before getting a donor organ. It may also take months or years before a suitable donor organ is available. 在此期间, your child's healthcare provider and the transplant team will closely follow your child. You can also get help from support groups during this difficult waiting time.

Each transplant team has its own guidelines about how you will be told when a donor organ is available. 在大多数情况下，当有合适的器官时，会叫你. You will be told to come to the hospital right away so your child can get ready the transplant. This call can come at any time, so you should always be ready to go to the hospital. 

儿童心脏移植会发生什么?

Once at the hospital, your child will have tests to confirm the match of the organ. Once the test results are available and your child is ready, he or she will go to the operating room. 移植手术可能需要4个多小时. 所需的时间取决于许多事情. 在手术过程中, a member of the transplant team will tell you about the progress of the transplant. 心脏移植手术的一般步骤如下:

• Just before the surgery begins, your child will get sleep medicine (general anesthesia). 
• 外科医生使用开胸法. This means he or she makes a large cut (incision) into your child's chest. 胸骨伸展到心脏.
• 你的孩子接上了心肺搭桥机. 这台机器就像你孩子的心脏和肺一样. 在手术过程中，它将血液泵入孩子的身体. 
• 外科医生将取出你孩子的心脏. He or she will then put the new heart in your child's chest and stitch it into place.

儿童心脏移植后会发生什么?

After the surgery, your child will go to the intensive care unit (ICU) to be watched closely. 您的孩子在重症监护病房的时间长短会有所不同. After your child is stable, he or she will be sent to the cardiac unit. 您的孩子将继续受到密切关注. Your transplant team will help you learn how to care for your child during this time. 这将包括有关药物的信息, 活动, 后续, 饮食, and any other specific instructions from your child's transplant team.

排斥反应是身体对异物的正常反应. The body's immune system makes antibodies to try to destroy the new organ. Medicines (antirejection) are used to help prevent this from happening.

这些是最常见的排斥症状和体征:

• 发热
• 尿少或尿不湿比平时少
• 心率快
• 呼吸急促
• 体重增加
• 疲劳
• 易怒
• 食欲不振

Your child's transplant team will tell you who to call immediately if any of these symptoms happen.

Your child will need to take antirejection medicines for the rest of his or her life.

因为抗排斥药物会削弱免疫系统, children who get transplants will be at higher risk for infections. Your child will have blood tests to measure the level of antirejection medicine. For example, blood tests will be done to check white blood cell counts.

The risk for infection is higher during in the first few months after surgery. This is because higher doses of antirejection medicines are given during this time. Your child will most likely take medicines to prevent other infections from happening. Your child is at increased risk for infections such as oral yeast infections (thrush), 疱疹, 还有呼吸道病毒.

您的孩子离开医院后将被密切跟踪. 随访包括:

• 全面体检
• 血液测试
• 超声心动图
• 心导管检查
• 心脏活检检查排斥反应
• 为你和你的孩子继续教育
• 医学的变化

Your child will need lifelong 后续 with transplant specialists. 确保你按时赴约. It is especially important that you report any signs of rejection right away.

下一个步骤

Before you agree to the test or the procedure for your child make sure you know:

• 测试或程序的名称
• 你的孩子接受检查或手术的原因
• 期待什么样的结果?它们意味着什么
• 测试或程序的风险和益处
• 您的孩子在何时何地接受检查或检查
• Who will do the procedure and what that person’s qualifications are
• What would happen if your child did not have the test or procedure
• 有没有其他的测试或程序可以考虑
• 你何时以及如何得到结果
• Who to call after the test or procedure if you have questions or your child has problems
• 你需要支付多少检查费用