500th Heart Transplant

Saint Luke’s cardiac transplant program, the only one of its kind in the region, has joined an exclusive list as one of 27 hospitals nationwide to record 500 adult heart transplants. Michael Lynch, a 50-year-old father of four from Kansas City, Kan., received his new heart on June 15 at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute.

Last year, Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute celebrated its 25th anniversary of cardiac transplantation and this new milestone builds on a heritage of success treating patients with advanced heart failure.

“Five hundred transplants speaks to the commitment and unbelievable focus of the institution and its dedicated team of professionals,” said Julie Quirin, Saint Luke’s Hospital CEO. “Milestones like this are a cause for celebration and reflection. But while statistics and accolades are nice—it is seeing transplant patients like Mr. Lynch go on to lead productive lives that gives everyone at Saint Luke’s the most satisfaction.”

Saint Luke’s offers the only transplant program in Kansas City and the surrounding area between Denver and St. Louis and partners with referring cardiologists across the country. The program ranks among the top 10 for number of adult transplants nationwide and has consistently achieved excellent short and long-term survival rates. Compared to 80 percent of U.S. heart transplant programs, which perform 15 or fewer heart transplants per year, for the past six years, Saint Luke’s has performed more than 30 procedures each year. Last year, the program performed 43 heart transplants. Wait times at Saint Luke’s are shorter than other programs across the nation, in part because of the altruism of donor families and the experience of the team. Nearly 80 percent of patients listed for transplant at Saint Luke’s are transplanted within six months.

“This is an exciting milestone. While it’s hard to believe that we have been at it for more than 25 years and 500 transplants, this program represents the very best of what Saint Luke’s is all about,” said Michael Borkon, M.D., surgical director of cardiac transplantation at Saint Luke’s and co-executive medical director at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute. Dr. Borkon led the surgical team that performed Lynch’s transplant. The team’s long standing commitment was evidenced during Lynch’s surgery. Two members, Mary Lou Hart from perfusion and Richard Nelson, M.D., director of cardiothoracic anesthesiology, were part of the very first heart transplant team at Saint Luke’s in June 1985.

The hospital has been awarded the Medal of Honor for Organ Donation from the Department of Health and Human Services for its success in increasing the number of organs available for donation. “Thanks to the gift of life from donor families, and help from the Midwest Transplant Network we continue to be able to provide an opportunity for a second chance at life through transplantation,” Dr. Borkon added.