First WA heart transplant carried out at RPH

22/2/95

Surgeons at Royal Perth Hospital have carried out Western Australia's first heart transplant.

The operation, to save the life of a 35-year-old Esperance man, comes only seven months after the Government announced a special $500,000 allocation to help establish the new transplant unit.

Health Minister Graham Kierath described the four-hour operation as a wonderful achievement for the WA cardiac team.

The recipient, he said, was recovering well in the hospital's intensive care unit.

He had been on standby at his Esperance home for some months awaiting a suitable donor and was rushed to Perth by Royal Flying Doctor Service for the operation on Monday.

In congratulating the transplant team, Mr Kierath said the patient was being closely monitored by the transplant and after-care team and his condition was satisfactory and improving.

Surgeons hoped their pioneer transplant patient would soon be strong enough to meet the media.

"This success hails a new era for Royal Perth Hospital and WA medicine," Mr Kierath said.

"This patient is the first of an expected 10 transplant recipients in the unit's first year of operation.

"Another 10 to 15 will be performed in the second year, depending on donor organs."

Mr Kierath said that until now, Perth patients needing heart transplants normally went to Sydney or Melbourne to wait for a donor to become available.

A number of Perth people had successfully undergone this treatment but then had to return regularly to the Eastern States as part of their post-operative care.

During the past four years, RPH doctors had been working towards the setting up of a fully-equipped transplant unit.

In 1992-93, for example, the cardiothoracic team performed 1,100 open heart procedures.

"Last year, the Government agreed to meet the establishment costs," Mr Kierath said.

"Most of the facilities were already in place, but the funding was needed for staff training and to buy specialised equipment.

"The dedicated team includes cardiologists, respiratory physicians, anaesthetists and intensive care and theatre staff.

"They have now embarked on a new era of surgery which will be of vital importance to Western Australians.

"The transplant capability brings a new dimension and opportunity for chronic heart sufferers."

Media Contact : Brian Coulter  222 9595 / 481 2133