Canada’s First Heart Transplant from Stopped Heart Achieved

In a groundbreaking milestone for Canadian medicine, surgeons at Toronto’s University Health Network (UHN) have successfully performed a heart transplant using a donor whose heart had stopped beating—a technique known as donation after circulatory death (DCD).

Unlike traditional heart transplants that rely on organs from brain-dead donors with still-beating hearts, this method recovers hearts after life support is withdrawn and the heart has stopped.

Earlier this September, the team at UHN’s Toronto General Hospital transplanted a heart from a DCD donor, marking a first in Canada.

Expanding Donor Options

Dr. Ali Rabi, the cardiac surgeon leading the procedure at UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, explained the significance: “Before, we only used hearts from brain-dead donors whose hearts were still beating. Now, we can use hearts that have stopped beating after life support is withdrawn.”

This method significantly expands the pool of potential donors, offering hope to more patients on the waiting list. “These are donors who are not considered brain dead. They have a few basic reflexes but no prospect of recovery. The decision involves the patient, their family, the treatment team, and a neurology team,” Rabi said.

Impact on Heart Transplants in Canada

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of hospital admissions and death in Canada. By the end of 2024, 155 adults and 29 children were waiting for a heart transplant, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

Dr. Rabi estimates that using DCD hearts could increase the number of transplants by 20 to 40 percent, reducing the number of patients who die waiting for a new heart. “When the heart started beating again in the new patient, it’s amazing. The heart’s natural strength is incredible,” he said.

Global Context and Future Outlook

This technique has already been used successfully in countries including Australia, the U.K., and the U.S., with data showing no difference in long-term survival between DCD heart recipients and those receiving traditional brain-dead donor hearts.

Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, praised the breakthrough: “This achievement shows how innovation can save more lives. Congratulations to the team for this historic milestone.”

Dr. Rabi also highlighted the critical role of donor families: “It’s the hardest day of their lives, but many find comfort knowing their loved one helped save others.”