UMN Celebrates 900th Heart Transplant

Minnesota has long been at the forefront of heart transplant innovation, the first of which was performed in 1978. “Really every transplant whether #844 or #901 and we have done #901 since, is very exciting,” said Dr. Ranjit John, Department of Surgery. “The adrenaline comes when you take the clamp off and heart fills with the patient’s blood and it takes a few seconds, or a couple of nervous minutes for the heart to start beating again."

Who was the 900th patient? Emson Juma, 45, of Paynesville who was thankful to be home for Thanksgiving following his successful surgery. “The families who decide they are going to donate organs, whatever organ that is, they are heroes to families like my family,” he said.

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