Monumental Achievement: Colorado Children’s Hospital Performs 500th Heart Transplant

The Colorado Children's hospital is celebrating a gigantic moment in history after completing its 500th heart transplant.

According to a report from Children's Hospital Colorado, The Heart Institute at Children's Hospital Colorado recently performed its 500^th pediatric heart transplant.

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Children's Hospital Colorado Achieves Milestone

Not many hospitals in the country have accomplished what the Heart Institute at Children's Hospital Colorado has. In fact, there are actually only a few centers around the country that have accomplished the same feat.

"From our first transplant patient more than 30 years ago to our 500^th this year and every patient in between, the entire team at the Heart Institute has been honored to help so many families," shared Melanie Everitt, MD, cardiologist and medical director of the pediatric heart transplant program at Children's Colorado.

"This milestone speaks to the breadth and depth of our team's experience, which allows us to treat the most complex cases that other hospitals may turn down, while still achieving excellent outcomes."

Children's Hospital Colorado is actually home to the only pediatric transplant center in Colorado and is one of just a few in the entire Rocky Mountain region.

Children's Hospital Colorado Heart Transplant Results

While performing a heart transplant is amazing in itself, Children's Hospital Colorado also has an astounding survival rate.

The 1-year patient survival rate:

• Children's Colorado: 96%
• National: 91.37%

The 3-year patient survival rate

• Children's Colorado: 95.83%
• National: 88.61%

In addition, the time to get a heart transplant is also shorter at Children's Hospital Colorado.

Median time to heart transplant

• Children's Colorado: 2.7 months
• Region: 5.0 months
• National: 5.5 months

What's Children's Hospital Colorado's Secret to Heart Transplants?

The folks at Children's Hospital Colorado pride themselves on meeting more than just their patient's physical needs.

Patients at Children's Hospital Colorado receive emotional, mental, and spiritual support from the Heart Institute's multidisciplinary team.

"Every patient we've served has meant the world to us, and we're grateful for the opportunity to provide care to the children and families in our program," said Dave Campbell, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon and former director of the pediatric heart transplant program.