Oakland County man receives first beating heart transplant in Michigan

DETROIT – There have been many technological breakthroughs in recent years that have helped bring life-saving organs to patients – the most recent one combines a newer technology with a very exciting new technique.

Henry Ford Health announced the first two successful beating heart transplants in the state of Michigan on Tuesday, June 25

As the name suggests, a heart transplant is performed on a beating heart. That means that five blood vessels are stitched while they move about once per second. Imagine hand-stitching the hem of a tiny pair of pants while someone is wearing them, and once per second the person twitches their leg a little. And if you mess it up, the person dies.

Ken Miller, a resident of Ferndale, was the first patient in Michigan to receive a beating heart transplant.

“At first I didn’t fully understand it,” Miller recalls. “I felt blessed and privileged to have this procedure because I believe it will give me a better chance of survival.”

Dr. Kyle Miletic, a heart transplant surgeon at Henry Ford Health, said this allows organs – like the heart – to be kept “alive” while they are transported out of the body, while the heart continues to beat.

The traditional method of heart transplantation involves stopping the heart and sewing it into the still cold body. The problem is that in the 60 to 90 minutes after stopping and sewing it in, the heart stops beating and slowly becomes damaged. But what if the heart wasn’t stopped? By connecting the still beating heart to the patient’s bypass circuit, you can do just that.

“While the heart is beating continuously and receiving the recipient’s blood for the first time, we are actually sewing it in,” Miletic said. “Hitting a moving target is a little more difficult because the heart is moving all the time.”

The heart was stitched in while it was beating between 60 and 80 beats per minute. Five blood vessels need to be reconnected, requiring hundreds of individual stitches.

Read: How do I register as an organ and tissue donor?

People can register to donate organs, tissues and eyes to someone who needs a transplant at the end of their life. They can also consider a “living donation” – or donate a kidney or part of their liver to someone who needs it. as long as both individuals are alive.

Michigan residents can register via Michigan’s online organ donor registry or Register for organ donation when you renew your driver’s license or ID card or apply for a replacement..

Gift of Life, Michiganan organization that facilitates organ and tissue donation, is working with the Michigan Secretary of State to develop and maintain the registry. You can Click here to learn more and register as a donor.